This week's marquee game features the Baylor Bears and Kansas Jayhawks (noon ET, Saturday, ESPN), a pair of Final Four hopefuls who are also battling for Big 12 regular-season supremacy. ESPN.com's panel of college hoops experts talked about their expectations for that game, the notion of Cole Anthony staying for another collegiate season, and the team they'd like to see in the NCAA tournament field that won't be in the NCAA tournament field.

Jump to score predictions for the weekend's top games

Baylor and Kansas will square off Saturday in Waco, Texas, in what will be the Jayhawks' final realistic chance to wrest control of the Big 12 race from the Bears. If the Jayhawks pull off the upset here, what will it tell you about Kansas? Will it make you reconsider Baylor's national title chances?

Myron Medcalf, senior college basketball writer: It would depend on how Kansas won. If the Jayhawks can somehow put together a dominant offensive effort against a team that has surrendered more than 65 points only five times this season, I think the Jayhawks would be the clear favorites to win the national title. If it's a back-and-forth affair between two of the best teams in the country and Kansas wins a tight matchup, I think it will become more apparent that the path to the title will go through the Bears and Jayhawks. This feels like a preview of a Final Four game. I'm not sure anything that could happen Saturday would change that.

I won't reconsider Baylor's national title chances if Scott Drew's team loses, even if the Bears suffer a double-digit loss. With that defense, they're going to challenge any opponent in the country. But are they more like 2017-18 Virginia or 2018-19 Virginia? The latter won the national title because it played great defense but also had three pros on its roster to anchor its run. The former got stopped in the first round by UMBC after hitting an offensive wall. Is a Baylor team that has made less than 47% of its shots inside the arc and less than 33% of its 3-point attempts in Big 12 play vulnerable to the same offensive lapse that cost Virginia a year prior to its national title run? I think that's a valid question. But the Bears' résumé is ridiculous. Hard to doubt them.

Jeff Borzello, college basketball insider: I think Baylor and Kansas are the two best teams in the country, and I'm not sure Saturday's matchup will change my mind -- assuming one of them doesn't get blown out. If Kansas pulls off the upset, it's a sign that the adjusted efficiency numbers for the Jayhawks are legit, and the talk of "no great team" in college basketball this season could be way off. If you take Kansas' +31.04 adjusted efficiency margin at KenPom and compare it to previous years, it would rank in the top three in every single season since 2002 but one -- the historically good 2015 campaign. It would also rank No. 1 in 2014, 2006 and 2003. Outside of the Baylor loss, Kansas' other two losses came away from home to Duke and Villanova by a combined three points. Bill Self's team might indeed be the best team in the country.

However, Baylor is the team I've thought to be the best in the country since probably late December -- and would be my pick to cut down the nets if the NCAA tournament started tomorrow. Assuming the Bears don't get blown out by Kansas, and I just don't foresee that happening, they are still going to be one of the two best teams in the country come Saturday night.

John Gasaway, college basketball writer: Baylor and Kansas are both clear No. 1 seeds in the making, and when that occurs with conference rivals it's vitally important from an analytics perspective that we just sit back and enjoy the show. You can make a case that these are the best teams both Scott Drew and Bill Self have had in years -- in Drew's case, perhaps ever. Let's toss bouquets to both sides, shall we?

How cool will it be if everyone keeps revving up their "best defense ever" talk with respect to KU and it turns out the Jayhawks don't even have the best defense in the conference? Could happen. Baylor's defense has been superior to this point in Big 12 play, and, if this state of affairs persists to the end of a round-robin conference schedule containing roughly 1,200 possessions balanced between "home" and "road," please don't try to tell me your laptop begs to differ. I'll side with the "actual results" types on that one. However, Kansas has been the better team in Big 12 play thanks to a significantly more productive offense than what BU has shown. Sounds like a mammoth collision in Waco. Don't tell my editor -- I'm paid to watch the bubble -- but on Saturday I'm setting aside a couple of hours for two very non-bubble behemoths. Can't wait.

Jordan Schultz, insider/analyst: Nothing from this game will change what I think of either team. To be clear, that's not an indictment on Kansas or Baylor, but rather a reality check that both teams are simply that good. In a college basketball season defined by inconsistency, the Jayhawks and Bears have done nothing but win. Buoyed by tremendous guard play in Jared Butler and Devon Dotson, as well as equally stout front-liners in Freddie Gillespie and Udoka Azubuike, you're hard-pressed to find better inside-out duos anywhere. Defense is the name of the game here, though. Both teams have fielded historic defensive units, relying on discipline, scheme and effort to limit quality looks. It's the main reason why nobody would bat an eye if either Kansas or Baylor won a title this season -- and why this weekend's tilt in Waco is more for the fans than anything else.

Greg Anthony, father of UNC phenom Cole Anthony, attracted some attention recently when he suggested his presumed one-and-done son could return for his sophomore season with the Tar Heels. Anthony also slipped to No. 11 in ESPN's most recent mock draft. Can you make a persuasive case for him staying in Chapel Hill? Under what circumstances, if any, would you recommend it?

Borzello: The case is simple: Anthony entered this season as a projected top-five pick and perhaps the best point guard in the NBA draft. He's entering the final stretch of the season outside the top 10 after an injury-filled season for a 10-16 team. There's obviously the risk that another season under the microscope of scouts could backfire, but Anthony would be combining with a top-three recruiting class that features four McDonald's All-Americans. He wouldn't have to shoulder so much of the load offensively, in theory. North Carolina will be better, Anthony will be healthy and he could climb back up draft boards.

That's the argument, of course, but I don't see Anthony returning to Chapel Hill for another season. If he gets feedback that he's falling out of the lottery by the deadline to withdraw, however, it's something to think about.

Medcalf: Yeah, I agree with Jeff here. Anthony would return only if he wanted to boost his stock back to its preseason positioning or if he's determined to have a shot at a starting job at the outset of his NBA career. Right now, the 11-15 range for a player coming off knee surgery that disrupted his freshman season at North Carolina could end up with a team that's already stacked with young talent in its guard rotation. That might be a consideration, too. You get back to top-five and you're an immediate starter and perhaps the face of a franchise.

But I also think Anthony would return if he wanted to do more than participate in a forgettable campaign with the Tar Heels. North Carolina is a special program with a history of producing some of the greatest athletes in college basketball history. And those athletes competed for titles. Anthony's team doesn't even look like an NIT squad at this point. Perhaps that's something he can't stomach prior to leaving for the NBA and wants to correct that with an incoming class that features multiple McDonald's All-Americans. But I also think there is zero chance he returns.

Gasaway: Blake Griffin significantly improved his draft position by playing a second year in college. Finding other clear-cut examples in which (unlike, say, Ja Morant) the player in question was already on the NBA's first-round radar as a freshman can be difficult. (Cody Zeller? Marcus Smart? Harrison Barnes? Maybe.)

Basically, the draft position of Anthony or any prospect will depend on the player's performance, their relative youth and on the other players available. I'll go out on a forecasting limb and predict that Anthony will be one year older next year, and, to listen to the chatter, it seems as if competition from other players could be somewhat more robust in the 2021 draft. If I'm Greg Anthony, I'm suggesting to my son that he go ahead and take the plunge now, but the reality is Cole Anthony probably will be a gainfully employed NBA featured player in a couple of years either way. Good problem to have.

Schultz: There really isn't a scenario where I'd advise Cole Anthony to return for his sophomore season. Despite an injury and a stockpile of losses, the blue-chip prospect has put together plenty of quality tape to secure a slot inside the top-five. When I speak with NBA talent evaluators about Anthony, they talk of his dynamic scoring ability and capacity to dominate in ball screens. The more spread NBA game will benefit Anthony the same way it has benefited Ja Morant -- more transition opportunities, more shooters around him and more space in the half court. We also know this is not a particularly deep draft class, and the Tar Heels' point guard should take advantage. Could another season in Chapel Hill be beneficial? Sure. But it would also mean more dissection of his game and more potential for another injury.

We are issuing you one captain's pick, Ryder Cup style, whereby you can select one team for the NCAA tournament that you don't think is going to make it otherwise. Who's your pick and why?

Gasaway: I'm unfamiliar with this "captain's pick" thing and, in fact, it probably is made up to make us look foolish, but it does sound fun. I'm putting on the appropriate cap, brushing up on my nautical terms and picking Davidson.

With a NET ranking all the way down in the 80s and, oh by the way, this week's loss to 5-21 Saint Joseph's, there's no earthly way this team is getting an at-large. Yet the fact remains that the Wildcats have outscored the Atlantic 10 by a significantly wider per-possession margin than what we've seen from a bubble darling like VCU. In fact, Bob McKillop's team has been almost as efficient on offense in league play as Dayton itself. Throw these guys into the field as a No. 14, and watch some poor No. 3 seed squirm. Ahoy there, matey, that's pure spectating delight! Arrrrr! Wait, that's a pirate. Oh, well.

Borzello: If you asked this right before Selection Sunday, I would probably answer with a mid-major team that lost a heartbreaker in their conference tournament -- but I won't go that route yet. Minnesota is probably the best team that won't make the NCAA tournament, but give me Arkansas. The Razorbacks are just 4-9 in the SEC right now, but the last five of those losses came without second-leading scorer Isaiah Joe. Joe is expected to return soon and a full-strength Arkansas team was squarely in the NCAA tournament discussion. When healthy, Joe and teammate Mason Jones form one of the most explosive duos in the SEC.

Medcalf: I like this concept. I'd love to invite Clemson. Is there a better 13-12 team in the country right now? The Tigers have wins over Louisville, Syracuse, Duke and NC State. They held the great Jacksonville Dolphins, the Atlantic Sun's best offensive rebounding team, to 39 points. OK, that doesn't justify anything. But let's find a way to guarantee a spot for Clemson, which is ranked among the top-five teams in defensive efficiency in the ACC right now.

The overall résumé isn't Teflon. Clearly. The Tigers are 4-5 since that Jan. 14 victory over Duke. But their highlights this season have been impressive.

Schultz: Give me Richmond! Chris Mooney is a great coach, and the 20-6 Spiders have been causing severe headaches all season in the A-10, in large part because of their offensive balance. The key is Wagner transfer Blake Francis, a diminutive scorer who would be a ton of fun in the tournament. Because really, who doesn't love a sub-6-foot guard who can go off in March? Save for a brutal pre-Christmas affair with Radford, Richmond has otherwise been a model of consistency, boasting wins over Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, Boston College, the College of Charleston, Rhode Island and VCU. Better yet, the Spiders played Auburn very close back in November -- which included a halftime lead -- showcasing enough speed and quickness against an SEC elite to give pretty much any team problems in a one-game format.

ESPN.com expert picks for this weekend's top games

(Lines, when available, from Caesars Sportsbook. Predictors do not have access to lines when making score predictions.)

J. League side Vissel Kobe have told fans not to sing, chant or wave flags in their season-opening clash with Yokohama FC in order to help contain the spread of coronavirus.

In a statement on the homepage of the big spending Kansai outfit, fans who have a cold or flu-like symptoms have been asked to stay home while those who feel fine are requested to wear masks, wash their hands upon entry to the stadium and cover mouths and noses when coughing and sneezing.

It is hoped that not singing or participating in choreographed fan activities -- though club sources have told ESPN that clapping is fine -- will help limit the spread of the disease that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December.

J. League authorities have said they are ready to reschedule games if necessary as the virus continues to wreak havoc on the start of the football season in East Asia.

Kobe's actions are influenced by their midweek visit to South Korea in the AFC Champions League. On Wednesday, hosts Suwon Bluewings only allowed fans to enter the stadium if they wore masks, submitted a medical questionnaire and had their temperatures taken.

Despite strenuous actions in Korea, the recent surge in coronavirus cases in the south east of the country led the K-League to announce last week that clubs in the affected region will see their opening games of the season -- scheduled for Feb. 29 -- postponed.

It is possible that a nationwide postponement will be announced next week after 229 new infected patients were reported on Saturday alone.

The start of the Chinese Super League season, set for this weekend, has been postponed indefinitely and all four of the country's teams in the Champions League have seen their first three group games rescheduled until late April and May.

China also announced that their March qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup against Guam and the Maldives will both take place in Thailand.

Islamabad United chose to bowl v Multan Sultans

Islamabad United won the toss, and, as has been the pattern all tournament, elected to field first. Shadab Khan said the Islamabad bowlers had been slightly hampered by the dew factor when bowling second last ball, and admitted there needed to be significant improvements in all departments if Islamabad wanted to get their first win on the board.

Shan Masood acknowledged Sultans wished to bowl first, too. They were top of the table following a thumping win over Lahore Qalandars last game, and Masood said he hoped they would carry on where they left off on Friday. Sultans made no changes to that winning side.

Multan Sultans: Shan Masood (capt), James Vince, Rilee Rossouw, Moeen Ali, Shahid Afridi, Zeeshan Ashraf (wk), Khushdil Shah, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Ilyas, Muhammad Irfan, Imran Tahir

Islamabad United: Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi, Colin Ingram, Dawid Malan, Hussain Talat, Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Ammad Butt, Akif Javed, Musa Khan

New Zealand 131 for 3 (Devine 75*) beat Sri Lanka 127 for 7 (Atapattu 41, Jensen 3-16) by seven wickets

Sophie Devine wants to lead by example as New Zealand captain it was no surprise that she was unbeaten to marshal her team to a victory that stretched them for stages. In the end, though, the margin was comfortable with 14 balls to spare as Sri Lanka's lack of power with the bat beyond Chamari Atapattu again hurt them.

However, it was Sri Lanka who made the early running and they were 51 without loss after the powerplay with New Zealand a little untidy and getting a touch nervous that the target could be troublesome. Amelia Kerr made the first breakthrough then it was Hayley Jensen who played the key role by equaling her career-best, the pair taking 5 for 37 in eight overs as Sri Lanka's second 10 overs brought just 52 runs.

Devine, who is in the form of her life, was dropped on 18 but while she anchored the innings - shelving the full-on aggression seen recently - it was Maddy Green who seized the moment to put New Zealand ahead of the rate with perfectly paced middle-order innings.

Atapattu applies pressure

New Zealand nearly broke through in the opening over but Green could not quite cling on to a chance at point to remove Hasini Perera that would have been an early contender for catch of the tournament. Overall, though, in the early exchanges Lea Tahuhu bowled a touch too short on a surface offering enticing carry. Atapattu, who enjoys batting in Australia after two hundreds on the tour late last year, collected a couple of early boundaries, Jess Kerr's first over cost 13 with the aid of five wides and four byes - Rachel Priest was untidy behind the stumps - and Atapattu signed off the powerplay with a magnificent lofted cover drive for six. New Zealand knew they were in a contest.

Power fades away

The theme of Sri Lanka's batting is what is there beyond Atapattu, especially when it comes to scoring at the rate required in T20Is. It wasn't quite a lone hand here - Perera played nicely in the opening stand of 60, showing inventiveness to scoop over fine leg, although the strike-rate was 71 and Harshitha Madavi scored at a run-a-ball - but there remained a stark contrast. Once Atapattu fell, jabbing a full delivery off the toe of the bat back to Tahahu, New Zealand claimed full control on the innings. Outside of Atapattu's five fours and two sixes there were only three further fours and late six for Madavi. In fact, from when the opening stand was broken the remaining 12.2 overs brought 67 for 7. Jensen was key to this with a fine spell of wicket-to-wicket medium pace and clever use of cross-seamers including two wickets in two balls in the 15th over.

Contrasting powerplays

There wasn't a blazing start from New Zealand against some accurate Sri Lanka bowling. The first three overs brought just 10 before Devine slotted away a couple of boundaries against Achini Kulasuriya, but in the fifth over Priest was found short, beaten by Madavi's direct hit, from a poor piece of running which continued her below par evening. After six overs, New Zealand were 25 for 1, half of what Sri Lanka had, and they had to make sure they did not leave themselves too much to do.

Fielding hurts Sri Lanka

If Sri Lanka wanted to secure a first-ever victory over New Zealand they had to hold their chances, but both Devine and Suzie Bates were dropped. Bates' came before she had scored and got a thick edge to slip where Madavi spilled in. Devine's key reprieve came two overs later when she tried to break the shackles down the ground, Ana Kanchana unable to steady herself under the catch at long-on. Still, at the halfway mark New Zealand had not quite broken the back of the chase and then Bates drove a catch to cover against young spinner Kavisha Dilhari. However, Dilhari's second over is where the game took its major shift as 14 came off it including a free hit - after a front-foot no-ball called under the new system by the TV umpire - was flicked over midwicket by Green, who batted superbly to take the pressure off Devine. With the target close, Devine was dropped again at deep midwicket which highlight one of the major differences of the night.

AC Milan chief executive Ivan Gazidis has said that the Serie A club must follow the example set by Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool if the they are to return to the top of world football.

Milan are in ninth place in the league and have not won a major trophy since lifting the Serie A title in 2011.

- Watch live Serie A football on ESPN+

Gazidis, who arrived from Arsenal in 2018, said that Italian club can follow the blueprint set by Klopp, who led Liverpool to their first Champions League title in 14 years,while they also hold a 22-point gap at the top of the Premier League.

"Liverpool spent nine years in a situation similar to ours," Gazidis told Gazzetta dello Sport. "When Klopp arrived, he said he would make the sceptics believe; no one believed it at the beginning, not even the fans.

"Today, we can see what Liverpool are. Soon, you will see what Milan are."

Klopp arrived at Anfield in 2015 and will look to end the club's 30-year league title drought this season.

Bore joining Milan, Gazidis spent 10 years as Arsenal chief executive, where he oversaw the departure of longtime manager Arsene Wenger.

Milan will face Fiorentina in the Serie A on Saturday, where victory could see them climb into sixth place.

Peshawar Zalmi 153 for 4 (Kamran Akmal 101, Fawad 2-40) beat Quetta Gladiators 148 for 5 (Roy 73, Wahab 2-21) by six wickets

How the game played out

A vintage Kamran Akmal century made light work of a modest target set by Quetta Gladiators, chasing down 149 with nine balls to spare. Jason Roy paced the Gladiators' innings with a 40-ball half-century, but struggled to get into third gear in the waning overs in the face of some excellent death bowling led by Wahab Riaz.

Roy's half-century looked pedestrian by the time Kamran got going in the Zalmi Powerplay. Whereas Roy finally reached his fifty in the 15th over with a two off Darren Sammy, Kamran needed just 20 balls, reaching the milestone two deliveries into the fifth over of the Powerplay when he drove Mohammad Hasnain through mid-on for his eighth four. That matched the number of dot balls he had faced while he'd also driven two sixes over wide long-off and swept another over square leg.

By the end of the Powerplay, the required rate was already under a run a ball. Kamran adjusted in kind, waltzing his way to three figures off a subsequent 34 deliveries as he brought up the landmark top-edging a sweep to deep fine leg. He fell next ball middling another sweep to Roy at deep midwicket in the 17th over to gift Fawad Ahmed his second wicket in the space of three balls, but by that stage the target was down to single digits. The scorecard might show that Zalmi only reached the target halfway through the 19th over, but that flattered Gladiators' limp effort in the field in what was a very one-sided contest.

Turning point

Jonty Rhodes remarked on TV commentary that Tom Banton played the best shot of the opening over of the chase, taking a single first ball to get off strike so that Kamran could run wild on Mohammad Nawaz. Kamran charged the left-arm spinner immediately to clear him over mid-off for six, then followed with a sweep over the main at deep square leg. After a dot, he drove him again over mid-off for a one-bounce four before ending the first over pulling a half-tracker over midwicket. Zalmi were left shellshocked and never recovered.

Star of the day

It was Kamran's day virtually from the moment he walked out. He slowed down after crossing fifty mainly because he could afford to. His confidence and aggression sucked the life out of the Gladiators, who were always going to struggle to defend when taking into consideration that a target of 203 on the same ground a day earlier went down to the penultimate ball. He ended with 13 fours and four sixes, having done the bulk of the dirty work in the first six overs.

The big miss

Nawaz had a chance to exact revenge on Kamran after being victimised in that 21-run first over. After Kamran had pulled Sohail Khan over square leg midway through the second over for another four, the batsman punched Sohail to extra cover off his next ball, where Nawaz made a brilliant diving stop as Kamran took off impetuously for a single. Banton stayed at the non-striker's end with Kamran stuck halfway down the pitch on 24.

But Nawaz rushed a through from his knees rather than take an extra moment to gather himself. The throw to the striker's end bounced over the stumps with Kamran six yards short. Nawaz also had another chance to make amends in the 14th when Kamran cut Sohail to him at backward point on 94, but he spilled a knee-height chance.

Where the teams stand

Gladiators stay on two points after having won their opener while Zalmi bounced back after being on the wrong end of their first match of the season. Both teams are behind Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings on net run rate despite equal points.

The rites of spring: pitchers and catchers, Jose Altuve's tattoo and, of course, non-roster invitees. This is one of my favorite articles to write every season, going through all the non-roster players and pulling out an interesting name for each franchise. Sometimes it's a top prospect who we might see later in the season, sometimes it's a veteran who is a good bet to be added to the 40-man roster and make the Opening Day roster, and sometimes it's a simple, "Wow, he's still hanging around!" dude.

Let's go division by division ...

NL East | NL Central | NL West | AL East | AL Central | AL West

American League East

Baltimore Orioles: Wade LeBlanc. The Orioles have LeBlanc, Ty Blach and Tommy Milone in camp, so if you like soft-tossing lefties, head down to Sarasota. LeBlanc had a solid 2018 with the Mariners but was crushed by the juiced ball of 2019, serving up 28 home runs in 121⅓ innings. Given some of the other options for the Orioles' rotation, he still has a good chance of making the team.

Boston Red Sox: Jeter Downs. Considering what the Red Sox gave up to get him, all eyes will be on Downs early in camp. He should get some reps in major league games before getting reassigned to minor league camp. The biggest question about his long-term future is whether he'll be able to remain at shortstop, but the Red Sox need a double-play partner for Xander Bogaerts, so second base looks like a perfect fit.

New York Yankees: Clarke Schmidt. The Yankees have several veteran pitchers in camp -- Luis Avilan, Chad Bettis, David Hale, Tyler Lyons, Dan Otero -- and it's possible one of them could crack the Opening Day bullpen, but Schmidt is the guy with upside who could impact the team later in the season. A first-round pick in 2017 out of South Carolina even though the Yankees knew he would need Tommy John surgery, Schmidt returned in 2019 and reached Double-A. He's a polished righty with a plus changeup and curveball. With James Paxton already sidelined, Luis Severino hurting and Domingo German suspended, another injury to the rotation could open up a hole.

Tampa Bay Rays: Joe Ryan. The Rays have so much 40-man roster depth, backed up by even more depth in the minors, that they don't need to fool around with any veterans -- there's no way anyone is bumping one of the younger players off the roster. Ryan is one of my favorite sleeper prospects, as dominant as any pitcher in the minors in 2019, fanning 183 in 127⅔ innings while allowing just 77 hits. A promotion to Double-A at the end of the season didn't faze him as he struck out 24 in 13⅓ innings. The fascinating aspect is he basically did it with one pitch, a 92-96 mph elevated fastball that he reportedly threw about 75% of the time. The secondary stuff may have to improve, but he's somebody to watch, maybe for 2021 more than 2020.

Toronto Blue Jays: Joe Panik. Panik hit .305 as a rookie for the Giants in 2014 and .312 as an All-Star in 2015, but he has hit just .257 the past four seasons and his lack of power stands out in today's game. He's still just 29, but his inability to play shortstop makes him an awkward fit as a utility guy and Cavan Biggio should have second base locked down (although Biggio can move to the outfield or first base if needed). Even if he doesn't make the Blue Jays, a strong spring could lead to a job somewhere.

AL Central

Chicago White Sox: Nick Madrigal. With Luis Robert signed to a long-term deal and promoted to the 40-man roster, Madrigal becomes the player to watch. The White Sox non-tendered Gold Glove second baseman Yolmer Sanchez to clear room for Madrigal, who carries one of the most unique profiles we've seen in a long time. In 532 plate appearances in the minors last season he struck out just 16 times, making him a modern-day Joe Sewell of sorts. He also hit .311, although he lacks power (four home runs) and his contact skills are so good he doesn't walk much (.377 OBP). He has only 29 games played at Triple-A, but it won't be long before he's up and it will be fascinating to see how his approach works in the majors.

Cleveland Indians: Dominic Leone. The Indians have a nondescript list of invitees as even their top prospects are all too far away to earn an invite to big league camp. Mike Clevinger 's knee surgery puts a wrench into the Opening Day rotation, but none of the non-roster guys appear to be possible options there. Leone had good seasons in relief for Seattle in 2014 and Toronto in 2017, but has battled injuries in other years. He had a 5.53 ERA in 40 appearances for St. Louis in 2019.

Detroit Tigers: Tarik Skubal. You know about Casey Mize (the first overall pick in 2018) and Matt Manning (a first-round pick in 2016), but don't be shocked if Skubal ends up better than either one. A ninth-round pick in 2019 out of non-baseball factory Seattle University, where he had Tommy John surgery as a sophomore, he outpitched Mize and Manning during his nine-game stint at Double-A Erie, where he fanned 82 in 42⅓ innings. The lefty sits in the mid-90s with his fastball and could easily join Mize and Manning in the Detroit rotation by season's end.

Kansas City Royals: Greg Holland. This is your classic non-roster invitee: former elite closer on the back end of his career looking for another moment of glory after a tough season. Holland began last season as the Diamondbacks' closer, but eventually pitched his way out of the role and was released in August with a 4.54 ERA. He should make the team, although Ian Kennedy likely remains the club's first option in the ninth inning. The Royals hope Holland finds some control and becomes trade bait in July.

Minnesota Twins: Royce Lewis. The Twins are not only coming off a 101-win season, but have a farm system Baseball America just ranked as eighth best in the game. Lewis, the first overall pick in 2017, had a rocky 2019, hitting .236/.290/.371 between A-ball and Double-A, but remains the top talent in the system. That showed up in the Arizona Fall League, where he won MVP honors after hitting .353/.411/.565. Watch him in spring training to see if the hit tool can become a consistent weapon.

AL West

Houston Astros: Forrest Whitley. We've been hearing about Whitley for a long time, but this is a good reminder that he's still young enough that he didn't have to go on the 40-man roster. Whitley struggled with his command in 2019, was then shut down with shoulder fatigue, and then pitched exclusively from the stretch when he returned. He fared much better in the Arizona Fall League, providing renewed faith that he's still one of the best pitching prospects in the game. A strong spring will put him on the brink of the majors.

Los Angeles Angels: Luiz Gohara. After reaching the majors with the Braves in 2017, Gohara ranked as high as the No. 23 overall prospect on Baseball America's list. He missed all of 2019 with personal issues and then arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder. The Brazilian has had trouble keeping his weight under control, but he's still just 23 and maybe the Angels can find that upside potential.

Oakland Athletics: Miguel Romero. The A's don't have much on the veteran side of things, so let's go with Romero, a hard-throwing reliever who has a chance to crack the Opening Day roster. Signed out of Cuba in 2017, Romero has big league stuff, including a fastball that tops out at 98 mph, although throwing it over the plate is sometimes an issue. Still, he had a 3.96 ERA at Las Vegas in 2019, no easy feat considering the leaguewide ERA in the Pacific Coast League was 5.48.

Seattle Mariners: Jarred Kelenic. Carlos Gonzalez is here and there's at least a temporary opening in the outfield with Mitch Haniger out for the start of the season, but Gonzalez also hit .200/.289/.283 in 166 PAs last year, so he may be done. Kelenic jumped from low to Double-A in 2019 and became one of the top outfield prospects in the game. The Mariners will be tempted to rush him to the bigs and the ultra-confident Kelenic will tell you he's ready now, but it's certainly possible he could play his way into the lineup at some point during the season even though he doesn't turn 21 until July.

Texas Rangers: Greg Bird. Rangers first basemen hit just .228/.302/.402 in 2019, so Bird is here to give Ronald Guzman some competition. Bird broke onto the scene with an impressive 46-game showing with the Yankees in 2015, but has battled injuries ever since. Last year was another lost season as he played just 10 games before a season-ending plantar fascia tear -- after previous foot injuries in 2017 and 2018. Is there anything left here? He has had so many injuries and missed so much time through the years that it's hard to envision a comeback, but a good dice roll for the Rangers.

National League East

Atlanta Braves: Felix Hernandez. Here's a question? Who's the best player ever to accept a non-roster invitation to spring training? Jim Palmer once attempted a comeback after he had already been elected to the Hall of Fame, so it's hard to beat that (it didn't go well). Felix's ERA has risen for five straight seasons, including to 6.40 in 2019. Do the Braves really want to find out what happens in Year 6?

Miami Marlins: Matt Kemp. Hey, he was an All-Star two seasons ago (although he slowed down after a big first half). Kemp went from the Dodgers to the Reds last offseason in an ill-advised prospect giveaway (the Dodgers stole Downs and Josiah Gray) and promptly went 12-for-60 with one walk and 19 strikeouts, drawing his release. His defense has been subpar for years. It's a long shot for Kemp to make the team, especially since the Braves also signed veterans Corey Dickerson and Matt Joyce for outfield help.

New York Mets: Don't say it ... don't say it ... do not ... Tim Tebow. OK, OK, apologies. How about Matt Adams? Pete Alonso and Dom Smith have him blocked at first base, but the addition of the 26th roster spot gives Adams a chance to make the team as a pinch-hitting specialist. He still has pop with 20 home runs in a part-time role with the Nationals in 2019, although his OBP dipped to .276.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Francisco Liriano. Now headed for his 15th season in the majors, Liriano was a full-time reliever for the first time in 2019 with the Pirates, appearing in 69 games with a 3.47 ERA. He still walks too many guys, but that slider makes him pretty effective against lefties (.194/.326/.333). After all the injuries in the bullpen last year, the Phillies have several of these guys in camp -- see Bud Norris, Blake Parker, Anthony Swarzak and Drew Storen -- but Liriano is the best bet to make the club.

Washington Nationals: Welington Castillo. The Nationals have a bunch of non-roster vets in camp, but Castillo has the most extensive résumé, with 10 years in the majors. The Nationals brought back both Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki at catcher, so Castillo is probably headed for Triple-A or a late-spring trade.

NL Central

Chicago Cubs: Brandon Morrow. He hasn't pitched since July 2018 after missing all of 2019 with elbow problems. His initial two-year, $21 million contract with the Cubs expired, but he's back as a non-roster invitee. Morrow has had one completely healthy season since 2011, so if the Cubs can get 40 good innings out of him, consider that a victory.

Cincinnati Reds: Jesse Biddle. The most interesting part of the Reds' spring training will be the fight for playing time in the outfield, but Biddle has a chance to crack the bullpen as a lefty reliever. Biddle was once a top-100 prospect as a starter, got injured, made the majors as a reliever and had a solid rookie season with the Braves in 2018. After a slow start in 2019, he went from the Braves to the Mariners to the Rangers, getting just 16 big league innings.

Milwaukee Brewers: Shelby Miller. As a wise person once said, half of pitching is staying healthy. Miller was one of the top young starters in the game from 2013 to 2015, but he has made just 36 starts over the past four seasons and had an 8.59 ERA in 44 innings last year with the Rangers. As you might expect, the odds are against him, and he was never a big strikeout pitcher even when healthy.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Derek Holland. The veteran lefty had a good season in the Giants' rotation in 2018 (2.1 WAR), but his five-year WAR total is just 0.5, meaning he has been below replacement level over the other four seasons. He allowed 31 home runs in 135 innings in 2017 and 20 in 84⅓ innings last year. In other words, he has a shot at making the back end of the Pittsburgh rotation.

St. Louis Cardinals: Angel Rondon. Rondon won the Texas League ERA title in 2019 with a 3.21 mark, and between Class A and Double-A fanned 159 in 160 innings while allowing 125 hits. He should begin the season in Triple-A as a starter, but his fastball/slider combo could lead to a more rapid ascent to the majors as a reliever. He has a chance to impress the big league staff and become one of the first call-ups to the staff when needed.

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks: Edwin Jackson. He's 36 years old and he's still hanging around, so good for him. Jackson is aiming for his 18th season in the big leagues (although he pitched for the Diamondbacks before, so his tally of teams played for will remain at 14 if he makes the team). It looked like last year would be it for Jackson after he got torched for 105 hits and 23 home runs in 67⅔ innings, but the man is a survivor. One more year, Edwin!

Colorado Rockies: Ubaldo Jimenez. Back in 2010, Jimenez had a marvelous season for the Rockies, winning 19 games with a 2.88 ERA and finishing third in the Cy Young voting. That was a decade ago. Jimenez last pitched in the majors in 2017 and he last had an ERA under 5.00 in 2015.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Josiah Gray. Similar to the Rays, the Dodgers are so deep that they don't have to fool around with the retread non-roster types. I mentioned Gray in the Reds comment. He had a monster breakout season in the minors after the Reds had drafted him in the second round in 2018, jumping from the Midwest League to Double-A, posting a 2.28 ERA while allowing just three home runs in 130 innings. Considering how little pitching he had done at LeMoyne College (he had been a shortstop until his junior season), it's an impressive rise. The Dodgers may have a future rotation anchor on their hands.

San Diego Padres: MacKenzie Gore. The consensus No. 1 pitching prospect in the game, Gore has just 183 professional innings, but frankly, there isn't much more for him to prove or learn in the minors after holding batters to a .164 average last year. Is he one of the Padres' best 13 pitchers right now? Yes. Will he break camp with the team? Probably not, as he had just five starts at Double-A -- although Chris Paddack had just seven in 2018 and made the Opening Day roster in 2019. The Padres have more options this year with the likes of Dinelson Lamet, Garrett Richards and Zach Davies, but if Gore has a big spring, you never know.

San Francisco Giants: Pablo Sandoval. The Giants have perhaps the deepest list of non-roster names that are familiar with the likes of Sandoval, Billy Hamilton, Gold Glove winner Yolmer Sanchez, Joey Rickard and a slew of pitchers. That's not always a good thing, because it implies there are roster spots to be won. Sandoval hit .268/.313/.507 for the Giants in 2019. He should once again be the backup to Evan Longoria and Brandon Belt.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu's adviser Jaume Masferrer has been suspended following the social media scandal which has rocked the club, sources have told ESPN.

Masferrer was suspended from all duties with Barca at a tense board meeting on Friday after being held responsible for the club's relationship with I3 Ventures, the company revealed to be behind social media accounts that had discredited, among others, the first team players Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique.

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Vice presidents Emili Rousaud and Jordi Cardoner both wanted Masferrer to be sacked. Bartomeu did not agree with taking such strong action but eventually consented to the suspension.

Bartomeu has confirmed Barca were working with I3 but denied any involvement in the social media posts, which also smeared club legends and presidential candidates. The president said the company was contracted to monitor social media activity involving the club.

Barca's board of directors has now ordered an external investigation from PricewaterhouseCoopers into the link with I3. They want to get to the bottom of who knew what and if the price paid to the company -- nearly €1 million since 2017 -- adjusts to the market price for monitoring services.

Other members of the board, including Maria Teixidor, Xavier Vilajoana and Oriol Tomas, wanted more drastic measures to be taken but the board of directors will wait for the results of the investigation before meeting again to decide on the next steps.

Sources close to the club have suggested it is not out of the question that a presidential election is subsequently called this summer. Bartomeu has a mandate to preside over the club until 2021 but, as he is in his second term as the club's president, he would not be able to stand. The board of directors would have to offer an alternative candidate.

The chaos began on Monday when SER Catalunya alleged that I3 had been contracted by the club with the initial idea of helping to clean up president Bartomeu's image.

Evidence was revealed that showed that, as well as defending Bartomeu, I3 was behind a number of Facebook accounts that had attacked people related to the club, including Messi, Pique, Xavi Hernandez, Pep Guardiola, Victor Font and Agusti Benedito.

Sources told ESPN that Bartomeu met with the first team manager Quique Setien and the club's four captains -- Messi, Pique, Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto -- on Tuesday to offer an explanation and deny any knowledge of the posts.

Defender Pique, meanwhile, called a journalist who posted a message defending Bartomeu on Twitter a "puppet."