MEMPHIS -- After the final buzzer sounded Tuesday night, Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant stood at midcourt and waved his arms to further ignite the FedExForum crowd, basking in the moment after perhaps the most spectacular performance of his sensational rookie season.

Morant, 20, led the surprising, surging Grizzlies to their sixth consecutive win, a 121-110 victory over the Houston Rockets. He had 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting with eight assists and became the first rookie in NBA history with at least 25 points and eight assists in a game in which he shot better than 90% from the floor.

Morant picked the Rockets apart with flair. He had a behind-the-back dish off a drive to Jaren Jackson Jr. for an and-1 layup; another dime to Jackson for a transition dunk in which he went behind the back to buy time for the trailing big man to sprint the court; and a leaping, no-look lob to Brandon Clarke after going behind his back again to beat James Harden off the dribble.

The finishing touch on Morant's masterpiece was a dagger, step-back 3-pointer to put Memphis up by nine with 2 minutes, 17 seconds remaining. Wanting to attack Harden in isolation after a switch, Morant waved off a screen from center Jonas Valanciunas and took advantage of a big cushion provided by Harden out of respect for Morant's blazing speed. Morant punctuated the play by pounding his chest and screaming at the crowd.

"I'm having a lot of fun," said Morant, the No. 2 overall pick who has established himself as the heavy Rookie of the Year favorite. "I'm enjoying every bit of it. I'm thankful and grateful to even be here and be able to play for Memphis in front of this crowd with these guys."

This performance came during a rare national television game for the Grizzlies, who have become a wildly entertaining team with Morant pushing the pace and making plays.

"He just goes out there and plays his game," first-year Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "That's been our mentality. Let him go unleash his talents, his competitiveness, his unselfishness. He gets to have fun. You see how he engages the crowd and his teammates engage the crowd. It's fun to watch from the sidelines, to see what this team is doing for the city and for this fan base. I think they feel that as well, so why not have some fun while we're playing this style?"

Harden, the 2018-19 MVP who is leading the league in scoring for the third straight season, finished with 41 points but was overshadowed by the Grizzlies' prized rookie, particularly down the stretch. Harden was 13-of-37 from the floor, including 0-for-7 in the fourth quarter, when three free throws accounted for his only points.

Morant took over the game in the fourth, when he scored 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting, grabbed three rebounds and dished out two assists. He played the entire quarter, as Jenkins made an exception to his normal substitution pattern.

"Ja is the ultimate competitor," Jenkins said. "He made some high-level decisions late in the game with a lot of different coverages, a lot of different matchups thrown at him. Credit to him. Obviously, in a big game like this, we have the confidence that he's going to come through in the clutch. He's a confident guy, and he loves the game of basketball. He loves to go out there and compete."

A Memphis team rebuilding around a young core headlined by Morant and Jackson is much more competitive than anticipated this season. The Grizzlies (19-22) are in eighth place in the Western Conference standings at the midpoint of the season. They've gone 13-6 since Morant returned from a back injury in early December. The Milwaukee Bucks and Utah Jazz are the only NBA teams with more wins during that span.

"He has superstar ability. He's special," Rockets guard Austin Rivers said of Morant. "Memphis got one, man. They got a good one. He's got a team that's playing well. They beat us, they're in the playoffs right now. It's unbelievable. He's the biggest reason."

Morant isn't the only young player thriving in Memphis. Jackson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 draft, is blossoming into a star, averaging an efficient 19.9 points and 1.8 blocks during the 13-6 stretch. Shooting guard Dillon Brooks, 23, had 24 points against the Rockets and is averaging a team-high 20.3 points during the six-game winning streak. Clarke, a rookie forward who had 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting and seven rebounds Tuesday, appears to be the steal of the draft with the 21st overall pick. Second-year guard De'Anthony Melton has become a critical, versatile part of the Grizzlies' second unit and owns the team's best plus-minus this season (plus-129).

But Morant is the one who has suddenly changed the franchise's course and the player who is the primary focal point of every opponent's scouting report.

"He's going to be a great player," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "Well, he already is."

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors swingman Klay Thompson said his rehab from a torn ACL in his left knee is 'going great,' but it remains unclear if Thompson will return this season. Speaking publicly to reporters for the first time since Warriors media day in late September, Thompson seemed pleased with the way he is progressing.

"It's going great," Thompson said during Tuesday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. "I mean, at least my suits are well tailored. And it's fun to watch these guys battle. Obviously, I wish I could be out there. It's been a long process. I haven't stopped working since the third day after Game 6 of the 2019 Finals. You might not see me a lot, but I'm working. I don't know what's going to come this season, I would love to get out there. I appreciate the Warrior fans showing up every night in Chase, just a testament to the fan base we have. They know it's been a tough season, but they know the future's bright -- so it's actually nice to be here. I haven't seen you guys [media] in a long time. You're welcome for me being here today. I just kind of miss -- I know it's a tough part of the season. It's very rare for me not to be grinding through it with them, but I'm trying to make sure this type of injury never happens to me again, so I'll be very patient because I want to play at a high level 'til my late 30s."

Thompson's injury occurred June 13th in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. While there has always been hope within the Warriors' organization that Thompson would play this season, both Thompson and team officials have said they don't want to rush the rehab process. The Warriors have stated all along that Thompson would be reevaluated around the All-Star break next month and they would take the next steps based on what doctors say. Thompson, who has spent some time rehabbing in Los Angeles, is starting to be around the Warriors practice facility even more as he continues his recovery. The former All-Star has been shooting with teammates after practices as he continues making progress toward playing again.

"More than anything it just feels good to see him out there," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before Tuesday's game. "And for him to feel it, like he's actually closer. Even though he's still a ways from being out on the floor, he's so far along now compared to when this first started. So he's pretty far down the path, so I think he's starting to feel that. The routine is changing now. He's on the court a lot more, and I'm asking him to be around our team a lot more. Both Steph [Curry] and Klay I've talked to about starting to be engaged and involved with the group. The new players need to get to know those guys and vice versa. And they give our young group some confidence just with their presence. So I think that's all part of the next step here for both Steph and Klay."

After losing star guard Stephen Curry to a broken hand in the fourth game of the season, Thompson and Curry have been stuck on the Warriors' bench as spectators as their injury riddled team has struggled to a 9-33 record following Tuesday's defeat. Still, both players are optimistic about the team's future and both are enjoying some time off to get recharged both mentally and physically after five straight trips to the NBA Finals.

Thompson is particularly happy to have the chance to go back to Pullman, Washington, this Saturday to get his Washington State jersey retired.

"I'm really excited," Thompson said. "I haven't been back in about five years, so to go back and see the people I really grew up with, and the community that really embraced me. It's very nostalgic and it's just really cool, because [having my jersey retired] was a dream of mine leaving Pullman. I didn't think it would ever come true. And it did, so it's exciting."

Thompson's teammate, Draymond Green, recently had his jersey retired at Michigan State, a ceremony Thompson attended in East Lansing, Michigan. Green and other Warriors staffers would likely be there on Saturday, but the Warriors have a game against the Orlando Magic. Still, Thompson is embracing the fact that Curry will be joining him in Pullman this weekend. Thompson is even poked fun at the fact that Curry, a proud Davidson alum, can't have his jersey retired because of a school rule that states he must complete his degree first.

"It's really cool," Thompson said of Curry's attending. "We've been through a lot of highs together. A lot of lows. We've played at the highest level of the game as far as the NBA Finals and international competition. And he's been my longest-tenured teammate, so I appreciate him coming. One day maybe I'll make it out to Davidson, too, if he got to go get that degree."

LOS ANGELES -- Kawhi Leonard reached the halfway point of the season for the LA Clippers with his most explosive game, scoring 43 points in just under 29 minutes Tuesday night at Staples Center.

But after helping the Clippers temporarily bust out of their recent funk and make quick work of the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 128-103 rout, Leonard's mind seemed to be on winning a championship and reminding his teammates just how hard it is to get to the end of June and hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Leonard repeatedly talked about how the Clippers (28-13) need to slow down and not be in a hurry to get to where they hope to be.

"We just can't be in a rush," Leonard said when asked about how important it is for the Clippers to have continuity at this stage of the season. "That's what I'm [telling them]. Just be patient. It's hard to win a championship. The pressure isn't even on us now. Just enjoy the process and have fun."

It certainly will be a lot easier for Doc Rivers and the Clippers when Leonard is feeling this way. Leonard said he was getting stronger with his health trending up of late, and he provided the Cavaliers proof of that.

The All-Star forward buried 14 of his 22 shots, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range. He also made 9-of-10 from the free throw line to score at least 40 in the first three quarters for the first time in his career. Leonard did not play in the fourth.

Although he finished shy of his career high of 45 points, Leonard has broken the 40-point barrier twice in his past 12 games. He also had 42 points and 11 rebounds on Dec. 13 at the Minnesota Timberwolves.

"I got out of the game, and he had 40 and made that 3 for 43, and I was like, 'When did he get 43?'" said Clippers center Ivica Zubac, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds while helping to hold Tristan Thompson scoreless in 23 minutes. "It's just like he gets points and you don't even know how did he get them. It's special to play with a player like that."

Leonard scored 17 points in the third quarter to push the Clippers' lead from 13 to 35.

But after becoming only the third player to score 43 or more points in under 29 minutes in the shot clock era, according to research by the Elias Sports Bureau, Leonard wanted to keep the focus on his team and how it needs to enjoy the highs and lows of the season.

The Clippers have played inconsistent basketball, going 8-6 in their past 14 games. There have been injured players in and out -- such as Paul George (hamstring) missing four of the past five games -- and a lack of practice time due to the Clippers' daunting schedule early on.

But Leonard continues to preach patience. He knows how much more there is to go to reach the NBA Finals after his long title run with the Toronto Raptors last season.

"It takes a whole team to win games, win championships," Leonard said of six Clippers scoring in double figures and opening things up for him on Tuesday. "It's not won by one guy [or] two players -- it's the whole 15."

"Those are the things that I tell them: Don't be in a rush to win these games," Leonard added. "Enjoy every moment of it. Enjoy the process and use it as a learning tool when you get down in the trenches."

Among the notable victims of the Astros' cheating scandal in 2017 were the New York Yankees, who lost to Houston in a thrilling American League Championship Series that year.

New York went 0-4 at Minute Maid Park, where the Astros were found to have used a monitor displaying the center-field camera feed throughout the 2017 season.

CC Sabathia, the longtime Yankees pitcher who started Game 7 of that series, isn't taking what the Astros did lightly.

"It's weird, like it changes all the time," Sabathia said during an appearance on Showtime's "Inside the NFL" on Tuesday night. "When I first heard it, I was upset, and then as investigations went on ... I was like, well, we can't go back and play the games. ... But as more information started to come out, I'm like, we played a seven-game series in 2017, ALCS, and we lost really on kind of like one pitch.

"As everything's been coming out and the more facts that we get, it's getting frustrating, man, to sit here and know that late in my career I could've had a title, maybe '17 or maybe '18. But we got cheated out of a team kind of doing something that's not within the rules of the game."

Sabathia, 39, retired after this past season, his 19th in the majors and 11th with the Yankees. He has since taken a job as a special adviser to the team, according to the New York Post.

Sabathia's comments came a day after Major League Baseball suspended Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch for the 2020 season for their roles in the scandal, which the league said involved the team using a camera-based, sign-stealing system in 2017 and part of 2018. Luhnow and Hinch were later fired by Houston owner Jim Crane.

As part of its penalties, MLB also said the Astros would lose first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021, and the organization was fined a record $5 million.

Sabathia, though, wishes commissioner Rob Manfred had taken it a step further.

"Vacate it," he told Showtime, referencing the Astros' World Series title that year. "I wouldn't be mad at that."

Major League Baseball still is investigating the Boston Red Sox over allegations they illegally stole signs in 2018. The team on Tuesday night parted ways with manager Alex Cora, who was bench coach for the Astros during that 2017 season.

Boston hired Cora the following offseason, and he led the Red Sox to a World Series title in 2018, getting past Sabathia and the Yankees in the AL Division Series that postseason.

Former 2015 AL MVP Josh Donaldson cashed in as a free agent on a big bounce-back season with the Braves to reportedly get a four-year contract with the Minnesota Twins for at least four years and $92 million dollars. Regardless if he eventually earns a fifth year that could take the deal to $104 million, it's a huge move for a team that just crushed a record-setting 307 home runs during the regular season en route to earning its first American League Central title since 2010 and just the second 100-win season in franchise history.

Now that they're adding a man who just clubbed 37 home runs for Atlanta, we asked David Schoenfield, Dan Mullen and Christina Kahrl about the impact of the move in the standings, the postseason picture and for Donaldson's old team going forward.

Who is the AL Central favorite?

David Schoenfield: I get that the Twins' lineup is loaded, coming off a season in which they mashed a record 307 home runs -- and now they've added Donaldson, giving them six hitters who hit more than 30 home runs last year. It's going to be fun to watch them hit.

You know what though? It's going to be fun watching the Indians pitch. Assuming they don't trade Mike Clevinger and assuming they keep Francisco Lindor all season, I'll be picking Cleveland. Clevinger should be a trendy Cy Young Award pick -- at least in the non-Gerrit Cole category -- and I'm buying Aaron Civale with his high-spin fastball and high-spin curveball as the real deal, joining Shane Bieber and Carlos Carrasco as a strong front four. And the bullpen -- keep an eye on James Karinchak and hard-throwing Emmanuel Clase (acquired in the Corey Kluber trade) -- could be one of the toughest in the game.

Dan Mullen: While I'm definitely buying long-term stock in the White Sox, I'm not buying them being as good as some others seem to think for 2020. That means it's likely going to be a two-team race between the Indians and Twins with a very big difference-maker landing in Minnesota. Cleveland's pitching is better than Minnesota's pitching, but the Twins' lineup is now more than good enough to make up that difference.

Christina Kahrl: It's still the Twins. Remember, Rocco Baldelli did inspired work getting Twins pitching turned around last season -- they ranked fifth in xFIP as a staff, after all. Taken individually, adding old Homer Bailey and older Rich Hill might not sound amazing, and there's Michael Pineda's suspension to work around, but it's all about putting together enough competitive starts to fill out the six-month schedule, and the additions are upgrades.

The White Sox should be right there with them. I love what Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez could do to give them innings and winnable games, and their lineup finally has some extension in it, with Yasmani Grandal, Luis Robert and Edwin Encarnacion in the mix, and that should let them trade crooked numbers with Minnesota in either ballpark. The Indians don't have that, and they don't just need a lot of bounce-back seasons, they need Mike Clevinger's second-ever 30-start season and the Plutkos and Plesacs to come through on the mound. I don't think it adds up, and the odds of a Lindor trade in July just went up a few points.

Where does the Twins' offense now rank among MLB's best lineups?

Mullen: Bomba Squad 2.0 is loaded. I mean, Rocco Baldelli can now roll out this lineup:

RF Max Kepler
SS Jorge Polanco
DH Nelson Cruz
3B Donaldson
LF Eddie Rosario
1B Miguel Sano
C Mitch Garver
2B Luis Arraez
CF Byron Buxton

That's a group that rewrote the franchise home run record books last winter with a 37-home run bat added to the middle of it. But this team is likely to regress in the long ball department if the baseball doesn't play like it did in 2019, and I'm still not ready to take this lineup over the Dodgers, Yankees or Astros.

Schoenfield: The Twins were second in runs to the Yankees a season ago (they scored four fewer runs), but considering park effects you might suggest the Twins had the best offense in the game. They have some obvious regression candidates, however, in Garver and Cruz and maybe even Donaldson, given his age. Still, I'd probably rank them third behind the Yankees and Dodgers and just ahead of the Astros.

Kahrl: The threat of regression from some of the older Twins is real, but I think we finally get to see Buxton and Sano both play 120-plus games in a season (a first for Sano, and a first if they do it at the same time for the Twins) and that makes up a big chunk of the difference. I'd still rate the Yankees and Dodgers lineups ahead of them and -- accepting that Yordan Alvarez keeps being a game-breaking monster -- probably the Astros as well. That just leaves the Twins better than every other lineup on the planet.

What should the Atlanta Braves do at third base now that Donaldson is gone?

Schoenfield: This is a huge loss for the Braves as the lineup suddenly looks rather pedestrian once you get past Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman. Who is their cleanup hitter? The Nick Markakis/Adam Duvall platoon? Austin Riley started out like Jerry Lee Lewis after his call-up, but pitchers quickly adapted to his aggressive approach and swing-and-miss issues. He deserves another shot to see what's there, but if I'm the Braves, I try to find another bat -- Kris Bryant is the obvious trade candidate and Atlanta has the prospects to get Nolan Arenado, but knowing the Braves' history, they won't pony up for either. Maybe Kyle Seager from the Mariners, with Seattle eating some of his remaining contract.

Mullen: The free-agent market for third basemen is tapped. I really don't see the Braves giving up the prospects to land Kris Bryant or the prospects plus taking on the money to get Nolan Arenado. So the best play for Atlanta at third base just might be standing pat with what they have. But that doesn't mean Atlanta shouldn't make another move in an ultra-competitive NL East. How about adding Nicholas Castellanos or Marcell Ozuna to play an outfield corner and replace Donaldson's thump in the order while allowing Austin Riley and Johan Camargo to split time at third?

Kahrl: I buy the argument they need a right-handed hitter to replace Donaldson's production in the middle of the order. Trading for Kris Bryant would be the perfect fix for the next two years, but while they have the prospects to offer, the Cubs will ask for everything. Alex Anthopoulos has been ready to make the big deal before, but will the Braves' (usually cheap) owners let him do that here? Two alternatives? Shopping with Ender Inciarte and prospects, the Braves could check in with the Pirates to ask after Starling Marte, also under contract for two years and for just $23 million (though that leaves them still counting on Riley and Camargo at third). And if that doesn't work, dialing up the Royals to talk about Whit Merrifield makes sense; they could start him at third and in the outfield as a Zobrist-like everyday super-utility player.

Which team not named the Yankees is now the biggest threat to win the AL?

Schoenfield: I like pitching, and nobody has a deeper staff than the Rays. Trouble is, they might win 100 games and still finish 10 games behind the Yankees, so their odds of winning the AL is less than the AL Central or AL West winner. So it's probably still the Astros, who still have star-studded roster, and they reportedly haven't stolen any signs since 2018. Reportedly.

Mullen: Look, the AL Central race is going to be really fun in 2020. But if someone's going to take down the Yankees this year, I would put -- in order -- the Rays, the Astros and the A's ahead of the Central teams. Tampa Bay's pitching can make really good teams uncomfortable in October, the Astros are still loaded with talent and the A's could be really, really good with young arms like A.J. Puk and Jesus Luzardo set to boost the pitching staff.

Kahrl: The Astros are the easy pick to take the Yankees, but even before Houston got its dose of discipline from the commish I was thinking the A's could win the AL West in 2020 with a rotation already due to get a full season from a healthy Sean Manaea on top of Frankie Montas back from suspension and Luzardo and Puk ready to lend a hand. That's a lot of good pitching, backed by a strong offense and sturdy infield defense. They will not be a team you want to face in a short series in October.

The Boston Red Sox decided not to wait. A day after manager Alex Cora's name was mentioned 11 times in the commissioner's report on the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal from when Cora was the team's bench coach in 2017 -- a report that implicated Cora as the mastermind behind the entire scheme -- the two sides decided to part ways. A less nice way of putting it is that Cora was fired before probably facing the same season-long suspension that commissioner Rob Manfred handed down to AJ Hinch and Jeff Luhnow on Monday.

The Red Sox issued a statement on Tuesday from principal owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner and CEO Sam Kennedy indicating that after reviewing Manfred's report, "... We collectively decided that it would not be possible for Alex to effectively lead the club going forward and we mutually agreed to part ways. This is a sad day for us. Alex is a special person and a beloved member of the Red Sox. We are grateful for his impact on our franchise. We will miss his passion, his energy and his significant contributions to the communities of New England and Puerto Rico."

It is a sad day. It has been a sad two days for the sport -- but a necessary two days, lest further sign-stealing scandals erupt into a full-blown, steroids-like melodrama that engulfs the entire sport for years. With the commissioner's office still investigating the 2018 Red Sox for impermissible electronic sign stealing -- with Cora as the manager and, like the 2017 Astros, on their way to a World Series title -- the Red Sox ownership had no choice but to let Cora go and begin the search for a new manager.

Indeed, Monday's report detailed that "Cora was involved in developing both the banging scheme and utilizing the replay review room to decode and transmit signs. Cora participated in both schemes, and through his active participation, implicitly condoned the players' conduct."

I think back to covering the Red Sox throughout their 2018 playoff run. To a man, the players praised Cora's energy and communication skills, how he deserved a lot of credit for the team's success. It didn't come across as typical robot playerspeak. They genuinely liked and respected their manager. Cora, who had been a broadcaster with ESPN before his one-year stint as bench coach in Houston, was open and engaging with the media, and he took great pride in his Puerto Rican heritage. He appeared to have a bright and long future in the game.

The same could be said of Hinch. He had just managed the Astros to three straight 100-win seasons, with that 2017 title and another World Series appearance in 2019. Still just 45 years old, Hinch had established an early path as a potential Hall of Fame manager. Now, in two days, baseball has lost two of its biggest faces of managing. That's a blow to the sport.

Still, as well-liked and well-respected as Cora and Hinch have been, their reputations are now permanently stained -- especially Cora's, since he took part in schemes with both organizations, while the commissioner's report at least suggested that Hinch wasn't happy with the sign-stealing scheme (but didn't do anything to stop it). Fair or not, they will forever be branded as C-H-E-A-T-E-R-S.

It looks like both are persona non grata in the game for the 2020 season, and you have to wonder what kind of timetable exists before another opportunity arises for either -- if not managing, perhaps in broadcasting or in a front office. As we saw with players implicated in the steroids mess of the 1990s and early 2000s, forgiveness exists -- think of Mark McGwire eventually returning as a hitting coach for three different teams.

It is worth noting, however, that in the statement released by the Red Sox that Cora didn't apologize for any of his actions, either with the Astros or with the Red Sox:

Statement from the Boston #RedSox and Alex Cora: pic.twitter.com/qXsUhSobSy

— Red Sox (@RedSox) January 15, 2020

Indeed, sign stealing and looking for an edge was ingrained in him from very early in his career (while a player, Cora had a reputation as one of the best sign stealers in the game). Check out this quote during the 2018 World Series, when he was asked about the current focus on stealing signs:

"You just have to be prepared as a team. That's the only thing you can do. Stealing signs and tipping has been going on forever. I learned in, I don't know, in Miami in college, we used to do it. I don't know if that's good for the program, but, yeah, we used to do it.

"And then I played -- in winter ball, it really doesn't matter how talented you are, you better know the game and pay attention to the game because you're not playing Double-A or A-ball.

"In 1996, I played in Vero Beach, Florida, and then I played winter ball and I'm playing with big leaguers, and that's when you learn to start paying attention to details.

"In 2000, I played for Sandy Alomar Sr., and Sandy, he was a guy, he'll always tell you, the game will tell you something, you just have to pay attention to it. The scoreboard is not for the fans; the scoreboard is for the players. Outs, innings, strikes, all that stuff, if you pay attention to that, something is going to tell you what to do on the field."

In October 2016, Cora had even tweeted this back when he was still working for ESPN:

Stealing signs, relaying signs, getting signs...not that easy.

— Alex (@ac13alex) October 17, 2016

It is interesting to look back at all this. Asked a simple question about sign stealing in today's game, Cora gave a long answer about his own history. The rest of that quote included a detailed explanation of a play involving Roberto Alomar from a winter league game that Cora had remembered from almost two decades earlier. Cora took great pride in his baseball IQ -- understandably so, as he was a player who lasted a long time in the big leagues in part because of his ability to do the little things. It might be safe to say, even, that Cora was obsessed with stealing signs.

This points to the bigger picture across the sport: In the competitive drive to get an advantage over your opponent, do those involved -- and we can speculate that the cheating went well beyond the 2017 Astros and 2018 Red Sox -- not realize they had crossed the line?

I'm not so sure that's the case. In Monday's report, the commissioner detailed the incident when Chicago White Sox pitcher Danny Farquhar appeared to notice the bangs on the trash can: "Several players told my investigators that there was a sense of 'panic in the Astros' dugout. ... Before the game ended, a group of Astros players removed the monitor from the wall in the tunnel and hid it in an office. For the Postseason, a portable monitor was set up on a table to replace the monitor that had been affixed to the wall near the dugout."

They knew. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew they were cheating. Not much different from the PED users some two decades ago shooting up in secret. They knew.

Some will feel that Cora and Hinch are the scapegoats for actions committed by the players, who escaped any punishment. That's an argument, I suppose. But history tells us players are incapable of policing themselves, as in the steroids era when few players spoke out against what was happening (former Texas Rangers pitcher Rick Helling was a notable exception). Indeed, if Oakland Athletics pitcher Mike Fiers, a member of the 2017 Astros, hadn't broken the player code of silence, we might not be where we are today.

Monday's report and the upcoming report on the 2018 Red Sox are only the beginnings of baseball trying to figure out how to cope with the technological era. Maybe it's time to ban all in-game uses of video, no checking your previous at-bats, no watching the in-game feed. MLB stepped up its monitoring of technology in 2019, but as any science fiction writer will tell you: Beware what the future holds. The ramifications for Cora and Hinch are harsh, but Manfred had to send a message: Knock it off. Now.

The 10km course aims to showcase the historic heart of the city, its latest developments and famous heritage sites

A new Great Birmingham 10K route has been unveiled for the 2020 event on May 31, with the course passing city centre landmarks such as Grand Central, Mailbox and the historic Jewellery Quarter for the first time.

From the Hippodrome theatre to St Paul’s Square and a number of other attractions in between, the course aims to showcase the historic heart of Birmingham, its latest developments and world-famous heritage sites.

The new 10km route has been unveiled two years before Birmingham hosts the 2022 Commonwealth Games and welcomes visitors from across the world and a global TV audience of billions.

Starting near the much-loved Hippodrome theatre in Southside, the opening stages of the Great Birmingham 10km will take runners through gritty and bohemian Digbeth, where old industries and new bars and apartments sit alongside each other.

At 3km, runners and walkers will see one of Birmingham’s oldest areas – St Martin’s Church and the Bull Ring Markets which date back to the Middle Ages – before the route passes the unique Grand Central at New Street station, one of the city’s more recent skyline additions.

The cool and contemporary Mailbox building and its premium retail stores features at 4km, before participants cross bustling Broad Street – the city’s ‘Golden Mile’ – at 5km.

Birmingham’s world-famous canal network is a highlight at 6km with runners passing King Edward’s Wharf and Vincent Street near Brindleyplace and Arena Birmingham.

New for 2020, the 10km will take runners through one of the city’s gems – the Jewellery Quarter – home to 40% of the UK’s jewellery production and the world’s largest Assay Office. Runners will go along Frederick Street, around the iconic Chamberlain clock, down Vittoria Street and alongside St Paul’s Square and its heritage-listed Georgian buildings housing creative companies and bars.

Runner head along Newhall Street and Great Charles Street at 9km before reaching the grandstand finish at the Town Hall, Victoria Square and Colmore Row, where goodie bags and finisher medals will await.

The Great Run Company, organisers of the annual 10km, have worked with Birmingham City Council, public transport providers and the city centre’s five Business Improvement Districts to create the new route.

Steve Hewlett, manager, Retail BID Birmingham, said: “It’s a great time for Birmingham to introduce a new 10km route through the city centre as it offers runners and visitors an opportunity to experience the city as it rapidly develops. This could easily become the biggest and best 10km in Europe!”

Click here to enter the Great Birmingham 10K.

Six-time Paralympic champion David Weir also returns to the event for his 21st consecutive edition

The world’s No.1 ranked wheelchair racers Manuela Schär and Daniel Romanchuk will return to defend their Virgin Money London Marathon titles on April 26.

Schär has won an impressive nine straight Abbott World Marathon Majors races, a streak that started at the BMW Berlin Marathon in 2018, and she hopes to continue that success in the UK capital.

“It has been an incredible period in my career. I know I am in an amazing run of form and I will be doing all I can in 2020 to make sure that continues,” said the Swiss racer, who holds the London Marathon course record of 1:39:57 and the world record of 1:36:53.

“I love racing at the Virgin Money London Marathon. London is a fantastic city and the supporters along the route are always amazing so I can’t wait to return.”

Schär is one of five previous London winners in the elite women’s wheelchair field as she is joined by four-time champion Tatyana McFadden and 2018 winner Madison de Rozario, who were second and third last year respectively, as well as 2008 winner Sandra Graf.

Shelly Woods, the last British winner of the elite women’s wheelchair title, returns to the race for the first time since giving birth to her son, Leo, in 2017.

Woods won the London Marathon in 2007 and 2012 and also claimed silver in the marathon at the 2012 Paralympics in London.

The men’s race offers another clash of youth versus experience as USA’s Romanchuk does battle once again with two-time London winner Marcel Hug and the most decorated athlete in the event’s history, David Weir.

Britain’s Weir has won the race on eight occasions and will line up in the event for the 21st consecutive time.

This is the third of London Marathon’s ‘elite week’ announcements, with further athletes to be confirmed in the coming days.

Elite women’s wheelchair field

Manuela SCHAR (SUI) 1:28:17
Susannah SCARONI (USA) 1:33:17
Tatyana MCFADDEN (USA) 1:35:05
Madison DE ROZARIO (AUS) 1:39:22
Sandra GRAF (SUI) 1:35:44
Christie DAWES (AUS) 1:37:14
Shelly WOODS (GBR) 1:38:08
Margriet VAN DEN BROEK (NED) 1:38:33
Zou LIHONG (CHN) 1:38:44
Tsubasa KINA (JPN) 1:39:36

Elite men’s wheelchair field

Marcel HUG (SUI) 1:18:04
Ernst VAN DYK (RSA) 1:18:04
Josh CASSIDY (CAN) 1:18:25
Hiroyuki YAMAMOTO (JPN) 1:19:32
Heinz FREI (SUI) 1:20:14
Hiroki NISHIDA (JPN) 1:20:28
Joshua GEORGE (USA) 1:21:47
Rafael BOTELLO JIMENEZ (ESP) 1:22:09
David WEIR (GBR) 1:26:17
Daniel ROMANCHUK (USA) 1:26:26

LINCOLN, Ill. – One of DIRTcar Racing’s most storied year-end, national championship-deciding events has a new home.

DIRTcar Racing together with Track Enterprises announced Illinois’ Lincoln Speedway will host the DIRTcar Fall Nationals on Oct. 1-3.

This three-day dirt track racing extravaganza decides the year’s champions for each of the major divisions under the DIRTcar banner, headlined by the Super Late Models and joined by UMP Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Pro Modifieds, Stock Cars and Sport Compacts.

“Fall Nationals is one of the most highly anticipated postseason events that features the great racing, parties, fellowships and memory-making that DIRTcar fans and competitors have come to know and love,” said DIRTcar Director Sam Driggers. “The Logan County Fairgrounds now loans itself to an exciting weekend of the best dirt track racing found in the Midwest, and we couldn’t be happier to now crown our champions at Lincoln.”

For Lincoln, this will be the first event of its kind hosted at the facility.

“We’re really excited for the Fall Nationals at Lincoln Speedway,” said Track Enterprises Operations Manager Adam Mackey. “I think it will be a great event, being centrally located in DIRTcar country. We plan to make it a great signature event for Lincoln Speedway.”

LIVE from the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Presented by My Race Pass
Rookie Jeremy Webb Tuesday Interview

Clauson-Marshall Racing rookie and New Zealander Jeremy Webb will be making his Chili Bowl debut Tuesday night in the Tony Elliott Foundation-sponsored car. Georgia Henneberry spoke him as he prepped for tonight’s action.

How to Watch the Chili Bowl:

LIVE From the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Presented by MyRacePass – Story Index Page
News, analysis, interviews, behind-the-scenes and more – updated throughout each day.

LIVE PPV Streaming Broadcast – Racinboys.com
Monday – Saturday coverage

LIVE Television Broadcast – MAVTV.com
Saturday, Jan. 18th at 8:30pm EST

LIVE Timing and Scoring – MyRacePass
https://www.myracepass.com/app

SPEED SPORT’s Chili Bowl coverage is presented by MyRacePass, the official timing and scoring app of the 2020 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. Fans can download the MyRacePass app on their phones to follow all the action during the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. For more information on MyRacePass, visit www.myracepass.com and use the hashtag #GetTheApp on Twitter!