First lady Jill Biden's walk-back of her suggestion that runner-up Iowa should join NCAA women's basketball champion LSU for a visit to the White House didn't sit well with Tigers star Angel Reese.

Prompted by a discussion of Biden's comments during her Wednesday appearance on "The Paper Route Podcast," Reese said the Tigers should celebrate their title with former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama rather than Joe and Jill Biden.

Jill Biden, at an appearance in Denver on Monday, had praised Iowa's sportsmanship and congratulated both teams. She also said that as part of the longstanding tradition of having champions visit the White House, Iowa should come as well "because they played such a good game."

The Tigers defeated Iowa 102-85 for the title in Dallas on Sunday.

Reese on Monday called Jill Biden's suggestion "a joke."

Joe Biden invited LSU and men's champion UConn to the White House on Tuesday with no mention of Iowa. Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for Jill Biden, said the first lady had meant no disrespect to LSU and that her comments were intended to applaud the historic game and all women athletes.

"I'm not gonna lie to you, I don't accept the apology because of, you said what you said. I said what I said. And like, you can't go back on certain things that you say," Reese told podcast hosts Brandon Marshall and Ashley Nicole Moss.

"I mean, you felt like they should've came because of sportsmanship, right?" Reese added. "They can have that spotlight. We'll go to the Obamas. We'll see Michelle. We'll see Barack."

Following LSU's victory, coach Kim Mulkey said she would go to the White House if invited. Reese said Wednesday she was uncertain if she would go.

Reese faced criticism on social media for waving her hand in front of Iowa star Caitlin Clark's face while staring down Clark during the game. Clark, The Associated Press Player of the Year, made a similar gesture to no one in particular during Iowa's victory over Louisville in the Elite Eight.

Reese said she didn't think LSU, had it lost to Iowa, would have gotten the same praise from Jill Biden as the Hawkeyes did.

"If we were to lose, we would not be getting invited to the White House," she added. "I remember she made a comment about both teams should be invited because of sportsmanship. And I'm like, 'Are you saying that because of what I did?' Stuff like that, it bothers me because you are a woman at the end of the day. White, Black, it doesn't matter, you're a woman, you're supposed to be standing behind us before anything."

Some social media commenters noted the racial dynamics involved, saying that only winners should be rewarded with a White House visit and that hosting both teams would detract from the achievement by LSU's team, which is predominantly Black. The Iowa team is largely white. Others noted the important role of Black women in Democratic Party politics.

With his team three games under .500 just past the halfway mark of the season, Los Angeles Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka knew his roster needed to change -- in a big way.

In the first stroke of reconstruction on Jan. 23, Pelinka sent guard Kendrick Nunn and three future second-round picks to the Wizards in a trade for forward Rui Hachimura, a 2019 lottery pick with a polished offensive skill set who hadn't managed to develop in Washington.

Two and a half weeks later, with the Lakers stagnant in the standings and coming off a loss to Oklahoma City on the night LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league's leading career scorer, Pelinka deconstructed some more.

In a flurry of trades, the Lakers parted with five more players -- Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, Thomas Bryant, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones -- along with two more second-round picks and their 2027 first-round selection (top-four protected), for a stockpile of new players and three second-round picks.

The players -- D'Angelo Russell from Minnesota; Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley from Utah; Mo Bamba from Orlando; and Davon Reed from Denver -- made an immediate impact.

"I'm happy for the changes we were able to make," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. "It just so happened that Rob was able to pull the trigger on some things that made the most sense in the world and was able to balance out our lineup and really bring guys in that complement our top two dogs."

From their first game action through the team's four-game trip away from L.A. that ended with a 135-133 overtime win in Utah on Tuesday, the Lakers have gone 16-7, vaulting from No. 12 in the Western Conference on the day of the Hachimura acquisition to the No. 7 seed with three games remaining in the regular season.

Here's a look at how those six players have performed so far and a breakdown of what it will cost the Lakers to keep them, with help from ESPN NBA front-office insider Bobby Marks.

D'Angelo Russell | point guard | age: 27

Stats since coming to the Lakers: 17.1 PPG, 6.3 APG, 3.0 RPG

The most pivotal of all the acquisitions thanks to his position and his diverse offensive package, Russell has been a great fit in Los Angeles despite missing nine games since Feb. 11. His shooting numbers since the trade (47.5% from the field, 39.8% from 3) are career bests, and he has had some big moments already: His 28 points and nine assists in a March 10 win against Toronto and 26 points and six assists in a March 22 win against Phoenix stand out. A free agent this summer, he has made it clear he's keeping his options open. "I've been traded midseason," Russell said, "so to get comfortable somewhere, it's not easy for me." There's another high-profile future free agent point guard the Lakers had interest in trading for this season too: Kyrie Irving. When the two matched up last month, Irving was spectacular (38 points on 14-for-23 shooting) and Russell was pedestrian (11 points on 5-for-17 shooting) in a game the Dallas Mavericks won at the buzzer.

Contract info: Russell is eligible through June 30 to sign a two-year, $67.5 million extension. He is an unrestricted free agent if an agreement is not reached by then. Russell has established Bird rights, allowing the Lakers to sign the guard to a new contract and exceed the salary cap. -- Bobby Marks

Jarred Vanderbilt | power forward | age: 24

Stats since coming to the Lakers: 7.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.7 APG

While his statistical output as a Laker is nothing to dismiss, Vanderbilt is the definition of a player whose impact can't be quantified by scanning a box score. The rangy 6-foot-9 forward has taken to his role as L.A.'s defensive stopper, volunteering to smother the opposition's most potent offensive threat. "He plays with a sense of urgency, no matter who you put in front of him," Ham said.

With Vanderbilt just 24 years old and on a cap-friendly deal for next season, it can't be overstated how important his performance in Dallas just after the All-Star break on Feb. 26 -- locking down Mavericks star Luka Doncic while helping the Lakers climb out of a 27-point hole -- was in jump-starting the upswing the Lakers have been on.

Contract info: There is $300,000 guaranteed in Vanderbilt's $4.7 million contract for next season. The salary is fully guaranteed if the Lakers do not request waivers by June 30. Starting on Sept. 7, Vanderbilt is eligible to sign a four-year $71 million extension. -- Marks

Malik Beasley | shooting guard | age: 26

Stats since coming to the Lakers: 10.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.1 APG

James' first public comments on Beasley after the trade deadline said it all. "We got a laser in Malik that we just never had this season," James said. "A guy, whenever he's on the floor, no matter if he's making it or not, you have to respect him because of his ability to shoot the ball." L.A. opened the season with a loss at Golden State that left James lamenting the roster's lack of "lasers," and now, with the playoffs around the corner, Beasley has the skill set to fill it from deep, although he's struggling to show it. Beasley has been replaced by Austin Reaves in the starting lineup and has had nearly three times as many games in which he has missed five 3s or more (11) as games when he has made five 3s or more (four). Overall, he's shooting 38% from the field, 35.2% from 3 and 58.3% from the free throw line, but Ham has kept him in the rotation, even after shifting him to the bench. "I'm behind him 1,000 percent, and he's going to continue to get his minutes and we just got to continue to set great screens for him, encourage him to continue to shoot the ball and to continue to compete defensively," Ham said.

Contract info: The Lakers have until June 29 to exercise Beasley's $16.5 million team option for next season. If the option is exercised, Beasley is eligible to sign a two-year, $35.5 million extension. The extension increases to four years, $104 million starting Aug. 9. -- Marks

Rui Hachimura | power forward | age: 25

Stats since coming to the Lakers: 9.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 0.6 APG

Much like with Beasley, consistency has been Hachimura's biggest challenge since arriving in L.A. And, like Beasley, Hachimura has gone from the starting lineup to a reserve role and a recent DNP-CD. He has had more games scoring single digits off the bench (17) than double digits (12) but is arguably coming off his most productive game as a Laker on Sunday, scoring 20 points and grabbing 12 rebounds against the Houston Rockets. Hachimura's size gives the Lakers yet another defender to crowd the court with, and, at 25, he can grow with the program.

Contract info: The Lakers have until June 29 to extend Hachimura a one-year, $7.7 million qualifying offer. If the offer is extended, Hachimura would become a restricted free agent. He has Bird rights and can sign a new contract exceeding the salary cap. -- Marks

Mo Bamba | center | age: 24

Stats since coming to the Lakers: 4.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 0.6 APG

When L.A. acquired Bamba, the front office likened his size and game at 7 feet, 230 pounds to Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner, for whom the Lakers nearly traded before the season. There's been barely any sample size to back up the comparison, however, as the No. 6 pick in the 2018 draft has played in just seven games for the Lakers. First, he had to serve a suspension stemming from an altercation he had when he was still with Orlando and then he suffered a high ankle sprain that has sidelined him since early March. The question is, when Bamba gets healthy, can he get back in the mix as Anthony Davis' backup and supplant Wenyen Gabriel in the rotation? Bamba is still only 24 years old, and the Lakers could pick up his option for next season -- to continue to develop him or simply to occupy a $10 million salary slot, which could be a helpful number the next time Pelinka canvasses the league for deals.

Contract info: Bamba has a $10.3 million non-guaranteed contract for next season. The contract is guaranteed if the Lakers do not request waivers by June 29. -- Marks

Davon Reed | shooting guard | age: 27

Stats since coming to the Lakers: 1.1 PPG, 0.6 RPG, 0.6 APG

The 27-year-old shooting guard hasn't cracked Ham's rotation, with Reaves, Beasley and Lonnie Walker IV all ahead of him on the depth chart. That said, he has made a good impression on the team in the eyes of Ham with his approach to practices and participation in the Lakers' scrimmages with the "stay ready" group of players who don't receive regular playing time.

Contract info: Reed has a $2.1 million non-guaranteed contract. The protection increases from $0 to $500K if Reed is not waived 10 days after the Lakers' last game. The salary is fully guaranteed if Reed is not waived by July 8. -- Marks

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Top Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez struck out five in five innings and exited his big league debut Wednesday with the score tied against two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom and the Texas Rangers.

Rodriguez settled down after needing 30 pitches to get through the first inning, when he allowed back-to-back RBI hits to Adolis Garcia and Josh Jung as Texas took a 2-0 lead. The right-hander retired 13 of the last 15 batters he faced, and he struck out All-Star shortstop Corey Seager twice.

"It was just nerves, honestly, that first inning," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. "But from the second inning on, the fastball command was a lot better, and he wasn't yanking his slider as much. Just really did a nice job of keeping guys off balance and attacking the strike zone."

The Orioles called up 23-year-old Rodriguez after Kyle Gibson, their scheduled starter for the series finale, was moved up a day to pitch Tuesday in place of Tyler Wells, who ended up having to pitch in long relief Monday.

Rodriguez was the 11th overall pick by the Orioles in the 2018 draft out of Central Heights High School in Nacogdoches, Texas, which is about 175 miles from Globe Life Field. Several family and friends, including some wearing Blue Devils shirts that represented the school, were at the game.

"A lot of nerves that first inning, really couldn't feel the baseball," he said. "The first inning, I kind of felt like I was on an island, but yeah, the second inning was pretty normal."

He got his first big league strikeout against Ezequiel Duran to end the second inning. He struck out Seager in the third and again to end the fifth on the last of his 83 pitches. Rodriguez threw 53 strikes and walked only one batter.

DeGrom, in his second start for Texas since a $185 million, five-year contract in free agency, retired the first 12 batters he faced before the Orioles tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the fifth on an RBI single by Adam Frazier.

DeGrom got his first win with Texas, however, as the Rangers prevailed 5-2.

After a 7.04 ERA in five spring training starts for the Orioles, Rodriguez began this season at Triple-A Norfolk. He allowed 14 runs (11 earned) over 10⅔ innings in his final three Grapefruit League games. In the season opener for Norfolk on Friday, he gave up three runs (two earned) over four innings against Durham.

He has a 25-9 record and 2.49 ERA in 70 minor league games since his professional debut in 2018, with 421 strikeouts over 296 innings. He missed three months last season with a right lat strain.

Gibson threw seven innings in the Orioles' 7-2 win Tuesday, after his scheduled start was pushed up a day. Wells had been set to start that game, but he threw five no-hit innings in relief Monday night after starter Kyle Bradish exited in the second inning of the series opener with a bruised right foot after getting struck by a liner.

Bradish was put on the 15-day injured list.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox star Tim Anderson was ejected from Wednesday's 7-3 victory against the San Francisco Giants after appearing to claim he was quick-pitched by Logan Webb.

With a 1-2 count in the third inning, Anderson was in the batter's box but not settled into his stance when Webb began his delivery with 11 seconds left on the pitch clock.

Anderson stepped out and was already walking toward the home dugout when Webb threw strike three down the middle. It was unclear if Anderson tried to call timeout.

Plate umpire D.J. Reyburn called Anderson out on strikes, and Anderson then turned back toward Reyburn to argue. Anderson pointed at his eyes several times, then shouted several profanities from the dugout. He was ejected as teammate Luis Robert Jr. got called out on strikes.

The ejection was Anderson's first this season and the eighth of his career.

Hunt Auctions has announced the private sale of a bat used by Babe Ruth circa 1920-21 for $1.85 million, a record price for a baseball bat.

The previous record also belonged to a Ruth bat, one that sold privately for $1.68 million by Heritage Auctions last August.

According to Hunt Auctions, the new record holder is the "only known example to offer photographic corroboration."

The "Polo Grounds" bat, as it's colloquially known for the stadium the New York Yankees played their home games in until 1922, is matched to a 1921 photo of Ruth swinging it.

In February 2018, collector Justin Cornett purchased the bat at auction for $400,800 through Heritage Auctions without a photo match. At the time, the estimation was that it was used sometime from September 1920 to March 1922.

PSA/DNA photo expert Henry Yee eventually matched the bat to a photo of Ruth from 1921, increasing its value exponentially.

Ruth's 1921 season notably established records for single-season home runs (59) and career homers (139). The bat received a perfect 10 grade from PSA/DNA Photo Authentication Services.

"I am very familiar with the 'Polo Grounds' Babe Ruth bat, bringing it into the hobby 30 years ago," John Taube of PSA Pro Bat Services said in a statement provided by Hunt Auctions. "The rich brown patina and the Ruth characteristics that were present, then and now, establish the bat as one of the premier Babe Ruth game-used bats in any collection, public or private."

The Polo Grounds bat also was displayed there in the early 1940s alongside other game-used lumber, from the likes of Ty Cobb and Rogers Hornsby, in a season-ending auction for charity.

"It is without surprise that the Babe has once again pushed yet another sports memorabilia category to record pricing territory," said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions. "This baseball bat is as close to a work of art as the medium can allow."

Hunt Auctions has a track record with Ruth memorabilia; it brokered a $5.64 million Ruth jersey sale in the summer of 2019 -- still the most expensive piece of baseball memorabilia -- and sold a Ruth baseball glove for a record $1.53 million last November.

In 2023, most MLB bats hover around 32 ounces in weight. Ruth's $1.85 million bat, a Hillerich & Bradsby Co. model, clocks in at an astounding 44.6 ounces.

DESCRIBING LIFE IN the minor leagues can sound like a twisted Mad Lib. The names and locations and adjectives may change, but for generations, the details of the climb to Major League Baseball have remained mortifying. The poverty. The working conditions. The food. The third-class nature of the entire operation. Now, after decades of mistreatment, of being told they were mere apprentices, the people who had given their young lives to the game were in a position to tell those running it who they were and why they mattered.

In January, at the MLB Players Association's offices high atop the New York City skyline, Matthew Peguero told MLB officials his version of the story. He was from the Dominican Republic and signed with the Tampa Bay Rays. He came to the United States as a teenager not knowing English. He sent the pittance he received -- a couple hundred dollars a week during the season without any pay in the offseason or spring training -- home to support his family. He struggled to survive.

It was the same story relayed by Andres Angulo, who came from Colombia at 16 years old and spent four years in rookie ball. He saw countless friends who had forgone an education to chase a life in baseball released at 18 with no money, no skills, no job prospects -- a dream turned nightmare. These stories and more were shared during in-person bargaining sessions on a landmark first collective-bargaining agreement for minor league players, who described their struggle to understand how an $11 billion-a-year industry could so disregard the mental and physical well-being of its next generation of players.

"If you didn't sign for $50,000 or more, life in the minor leagues was unsustainable," said Trevor Hildenberger, a relief pitcher who spent four years in the major leagues and, as he tries to claw his way back, took a leadership role in the unionization of minor league players. "It was just a ticking clock. Either you couldn't afford to pursue this anymore or you made it to the big leagues."

This was no narrative. The reality was too real for MLB to ignore anymore. Players were coming forward, social media had delivered their stories to the masses, and though every collective bargaining agreement is little more than an exercise in wealth distribution, MLB couldn't discount what players were saying: Baseball's development system was a moral abomination, and this was the opportunity to fix it

For five months, the league and the union, formed under the umbrella of the MLB Players Association, worked toward a deal. After more than three dozen bargaining sessions, they landed on an agreement that more than doubled pay for all players. The union fought for more guaranteed rights, from improved housing and transportation to enhanced medical privileges and health benefits. The league, after settling a class-action minimum-wage and overtime claim from players for $185 million in August, received the ability to manage roster sizes and protection from future wage suits, with any cases to go instead through the arbitration process. Owners approved the deal unanimously Monday; days earlier, 99% of the thousands of players voting had backed it.

In conversations with ESPN, more than a dozen people, from players to employees of the league and union, outlined how a once-unthinkable deal came together with shocking rapidity. Players, tired of the status quo, sought to forge a new one. The league, reeling from bad publicity, committed upward of $100 million yearly to fix its mistakes. By no means is the deal, which will last five years, perfect. But because of it, those involved said, no longer is minor league life a black mark for baseball.

"It was just so clear," Hildenberger said, "what was right and what was wrong."

DURING MLB's 99-DAY lockout of major league players after the 2021 season, Kumar Nambiar spent his days in Jupiter, Florida, training at Cressey Sports Performance. Nambiar marveled at the players surrounding him there. He had pitched at Yale for four years, gone to the Oakland A's in the 34th round of the 2019 draft and climbed to High-A on the strength of a changeup that dove from his left hand. And here he was, side-by-side with big leaguers trying to stay sharp as the contentious negotiations unfolded.

One day, Nambiar noticed a familiar face: Max Scherzer, the three-time Cy Young Award winner and future Hall of Famer who over the winter had signed for a record $43.3 million a year with the New York Mets. Scherzer also was one of eight executive-board members of the MLBPA, and every day, he would update players at Cressey of the latest goings-on in negotiations with a message on a whiteboard. Nambiar introduced himself to Scherzer and thanked him for his work trying to secure a new deal. Scherzer took the opportunity to educate Nambiar on the process.

"Hearing him talk about this and how important it was inspired me," Nambiar said. "Before that, I didn't really understand what the players' association did. I didn't know the negotiations, the past bargaining."

Nambiar wasn't alone. Despite the 100-plus years of the minor leagues' existence, the MLBPA had shown no interest in forming a minor league unit. The prospect of organizing more than 5,000 minor league players was too daunting even for a union as renowned as the MLBPA.

Social media changed that, as did the work of a group called Advocates for Minor Leaguers, led by a former minor league pitcher-turned-lawyer Harry Marino. The stories of a half-dozen players cramming into a two-bedroom apartment resonated with the public. Tyler Cyr, a reliever at Triple-A for the San Francisco Giants, posted on Twitter his final pay stub of the 2019 season. The amount received was $165 -- and $8,216.58 for the whole year.

A real turning point came in 2020, when, before caving to public pressure, teams were not paying minor league players during the pandemic shutdown.

"The importance of that can't be understated," Hildenberger said. "A lot of guys were in need of help, and owners didn't want to pay anyone their salaries. That opened a lot of guys' eyes."

Inspired by their stories, Marino's organization had begun the herculean task of organizing players. Advocates identified potential leaders and encouraged them to serve as conduits to the entire player population. After MLB took over control of the minor leagues before the 2020 season and reduced the number of affiliated teams from 162 to 120, players grew even more emboldened.

They pushed for organizations to provide housing, and MLB acceded before the 2022 season. That, players said, was a good first step, but dozens of other issues -- none more than their salaries -- needed remedying. The settlement in Senne v. MLB, the lawsuit that alleged players had been underpaid by hundreds of millions of dollars, inspired even more players.

Roused by Scherzer and the work of Marino and his cohort, Nambiar last year went and bought "Lords of the Realm," the John Helyar book on the history of labor relations in baseball, which told the story of the player revolution that changed the landscape of professional sports. Throughout the season, he talked about the future of minor league labor with Jared McDonald, his teammate in the A's. On a late-night bus ride in early September, McDonald, who had aligned with Advocates as it embarked on a union drive, retreated to the back to deliver news that stunned his teammates, Nambiar included.

"Guys, it's happening," McDonald said. "We're unionizing."

That month, the MLBPA absorbed Advocates and sent union-authorization cards to players, who overwhelmingly voted in favor of forming a minor league unit. Any fear that MLB would challenge the formation of the union wound up to be unfounded; within days, the league voluntarily recognized the minor league unit. And about a month later, on Oct. 27, the MLBPA made its opening presentation to MLB.

The goal from the beginning was clear: The players wanted a deal by Opening Day 2023. Because they had no intentions to strike, their leverage was minimal. And yet that didn't worry them. For all the animus between MLB and the MLBPA, all the bad blood left over from the major league lockout, minor league players still believed that they were on the right side of history -- and that with the right framing, MLB would see it, too.

CRAFTING THE STORIES they told the league would require a deft touch. It couldn't be all horror -- things such as the tale of the teammates who took their paltry per diems on an off-day, went to a local pet store, bought a rabbit, killed it, cooked it and ate it for dinner that night. Finding a balance between complaining about what they didn't have and bargaining for what they wanted was exceedingly thin. So in late November, the union invited dozens of players to the Phoenix area for a strategizing session.

Players of all walks gathered. There were former big leaguers such as Hildenberger and Ivy League graduates such as Nambiar and representatives such as Angel Basabe, a Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder born in Venezuela and raised in Panama, helping speak for the half of minor leaguers from Latin America. They traded experiences, which served a dual purpose: to give the MLBPA a foundation upon which to ask for change, and to learn more about one another so they could achieve the solidarity necessary for a union to succeed.

"What's important for me is important for all of us: Get something that is fair, that we deserve," Basabe said. "I'm a Latin player, so I can be the example for a lot of situations that were not right."

The two days in Phoenix emboldened the players and narrowed their priorities. Higher salaries were the clear No. 1 objective. Even after the league bumped salaries slightly in 2021, Triple-A players with no major league service maxed out at $17,500 per year, Double-A players at $13,800, A-ball players at $11,000 and rookie-league players at $4,800. The lack of offseason pay forced players into an impossible choice: spend the winter getting a job to make ends meet, or train so they could improve their game before the next spring. The players coalesced around their shared past, taking the emotions built up in Phoenix onto player-only Zoom calls and into the bargaining room.

"I felt so much more comfortable speaking to these guys who I knew understood what we were fighting for," Hildenberger said. "That was a very powerful feeling. In college, you play with your best friends and you're trying to get to Omaha. When you're all pulling toward the same goal and achieving that, it's the best feeling in the world. To do it on a wider scale with 60 guys in the room and 150 on Zoom, and representing more than 5,000 people who we knew deserved better, instilled me with a lot of hope."

The union outlined dozens of asks to the league throughout December, as it delivered all of the initial proposals, and the league offered its first response in writing Jan. 12. Five days later, MLB delivered another proposal, this one addressing salaries for the first time. Bruce Meyer, the union's lead negotiator, had warned players in Phoenix not to be alarmed by it -- that the most important elements of the negotiation would come in the final two weeks of talks. In Meyer, the union had "someone who would stand up for us," Nambiar said, even as MLB's negotiating team -- led by deputy commissioner Dan Halem and Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort -- pushed back. Union executive director Tony Clark had spent considerable time in the meetings, too, with Marino playing a vital role and general counsel Matt Nussbaum helping map out strategy, while Patrick Houlihan, Peter Woodfork and Kasey Sanossian did the same for MLB.

A big breakthrough came in January, when the sides agreed that players would be salaried and compensation would be delivered for almost the entirety of the year. In addition to a bump in pay during the season, players would receive weekly checks during early- and late-offseason periods as well as spring training. The early success story heartened players and illustrated that the league was approaching the negotiations in good faith.

Throughout January, the sides hashed out other issues. Would players, the league wondered, consider dropping team-provided housing for higher salaries? No, players said. There was comfort in stability, and dealing with the vagaries of finding a short-term apartment rental diverged with the focus vital to a big league ascent. Would the league, players asked, consider termination pay for those released by teams? No, MLB said. That was a nonstarter.

Negotiations moved at a steady pace throughout January and February, with players going to New York City to participate -- Hildenberger and Basabe flew in for sessions, and Nambiar, who lives in Westchester County, New York, attended regularly. On Feb. 16, the sides finalized the first of what would be nearly 30 tentative agreements on individual issues, with the signatures of Marino and Sannosian formalizing a two-page document. In it, teams agreed to provide players with "two full, nutritious meals of high quality" -- one pregame, one postgame -- every day during the season. The union and league would form a joint committee to address any nutrition complaints from players, whose per diem would rise from $25 to $30.

Collective bargaining agreements -- particularly ones being drawn up from scratch -- don't happen overnight, and as the players left in late February for spring training, their participation would be limited to Zoom calls. March had arrived, and Opening Day was set for the 30th. The two-week window Meyer had talked about was fast approaching. The league said it was fine starting the season without a deal, but everyone involved understood: That outcome would be the latest disaster in a minor league history laden with them.

BY MID-MARCH, the sides were dug in with scant progress over the previous two weeks. Players wanted to push salaries past the point of comfort for MLB. The league wanted the unilateral ability to set the Domestic Reserve List, which governs the number of players a team can roster at its four minor league affiliates and Arizona or Florida complexes. The key issues for both parties were clear, and if past negotiations in the major leagues were any indication, they'd save them for the end.

Eventually, bit by bit, the makings of a deal came together. On March 14, they reached a tentative agreement on housing rules to be implemented at latest by 2024, giving Triple-A and Double-A players their own rooms and offering special dispensations for players with children, who are guaranteed at least two-bedroom apartments. Players at all levels would continue to receive free housing. A week later, after heated discussions over transportation to and from the stadium for players without cars, MLB agreed to provide rides for players in A-ball and rookie ball to and from all games.

One day later came an agreement on a grievance system that would cover discipline, a domestic violence policy and a joint drug-and-treatment program. The day after that, a pact on a no-strike, no-lockout provision. Then more: players receiving name, image and likeness privileges for the union to use in group licensing; the right to a second opinion on medical decisions, as well as free medical, dental and vision care; $2.5 million a year from the league to be distributed to players' 401(k)s; and the reduction of the reserve -- the amount of years a team owns a player's rights in the minor leagues -- from seven years to six for all future union members.

With each tentative agreement, the confidence in both sides grew. As loath as players were to give full control to MLB on the Domestic Reserve List, they found a compromise in its reduction from 180 players to 165. The agreement didn't sit well with some players, who worry about the loss of more jobs after the contraction of 40-plus teams three years ago. The league countered with data that showed over the previous two years, teams on average had 166 players on their rosters -- and in the end, the players decided that what they would get in return was worth the winnowing.

In its best and final offer March 29, the league agreed to bump Triple-A minimum salaries from $17,500 to $35,800, Double-A from $13,800 to $30,250, High-A from $11,000 to $27,300, Low-A from $11,000 to $26,200 and rookie league from $4,800 to $19,800. (Players in the Dominican Summer League, who are not part of the union, will not receive similar raises.) Further, the league agreed to supply back pay for spring training this year and will pay players for all but a six-week period between late November and Jan. 1. Offseason pay is a minimum of $250 a week and $375 extra a week for those who attend team-led winter training, such as instructional league, or rehabilitation at team complexes. Slight raises accompanied the last three years of the offer.

It was enough for the players. The leaders, on a Zoom call, were thrilled. And relieved. The past half-year had tested their patience and willingness to trust that the league would right its wrongs. And though there remains plenty to improve -- ensuring more jobs aren't lost, higher salaries, better benefits -- the deal addressed enough key issues that player leadership approved it happily.

"With the offseason payment, now we can focus on baseball," Basabe said. "I know [the rank and file] are grateful. We're making changes. This is history."

Word spread quickly among players, and within 24 hours of sending out the deal to a vote, the returns were nearly unanimous. The agreement was for everyone, from Basabe and Hildenberger and Nambiar to Matthew Peguero and Andres Angulo and the thousands of others who were lucky enough to play a game for a living but warranted dignity as they did so.

The story of life in the minor leagues, painful in many ways, had carried them to a better place.

"It's life-changing for a lot of people now," Nambiar said, "and for generations going forward."

Eilish McColgan and Mo Katir will be just two of many athletes who will benefit from the new Chojo Camp Europe

ASICS is launching their first ever European pro-athlete training centre in Font-Romeu, France.

The camp, managed by Dave Klink, will host around 20 ASICS athletes – short and long-distance runners – at a time, offering access to a brand-new athletics track, a hypoxia chamber, a weight and fitness room alongside a recovery pool. During their stay at one of the brand’s chalets, a team of physios, psychologists and doctors will be available to provide the physical and mental care that the athletes need to feel and train at their best.

Prominent athletes such as Eilish McColgan, Mo Katir and Sarah Lahti are already preparing to set up base in Font-Romeu for an extended period as they train for the upcoming challenges at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest (August 19-27). Further athletes will join on a shorter stay basis from now all the way to the immediate preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Olivier Mignon, Director of Sports Marketing, ASICS EMEA says: “We are excited to be opening the Chojo Camp Europe today. The physical and mental well-being of our athletes has always been important to ASICS. We’ve been able to support them with products, physical care such as physios, mental-health services and now with their own space to prepare for competitions.

The camp is a fantastic opportunity for our athletes to come together and train under the best conditions. Looking ahead to the World Championships in Budapest this year and Paris next year, we’re confident this will help our athletes prepare to be at their top level.”

McColgan, who recently took 43 seconds off her British half-marathon record at the Berlin Half and is a familiar face to Font-Romeu, adds: “It’s great to have ASICS support its athletes with these facilities. I’ve always been a fan of altitude training, and being able to have a base in Europe, close to where I’ll be racing over the summer, is fantastic.

"It will be the last preparation for them before Budapest 23." @MignonOlivier – Director of Marketing at @ASICSeurope – on ASICS' new Chojo Camp Europe ?

It will be based at Font-Romeu – at 1850m altitude – and help prepare elite athletes for champs ⛰️

?️ @TimAdams76 pic.twitter.com/uqrZzDfIcx

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) April 5, 2023

“It’s not something all athletes have the funding to do, but with ASICS opening the Chojo Camp many who wouldn’t normally, can now train at altitude and experience the benefits. I’m looking forward to getting in my sessions on the track, whilst also getting to mingle with fellow ASICS athletes.”

The term ’Chojo’ has a long history at ASICS. It was used frequently by the founder, Kihachiro Onitsuka, when referring to new projects. The word translates from Japanese to ‘striving for the peak’.

Alongside the European facility, ASICS has also established a training camp in Iten, Kenya, to support the development of new athletes.

Inclement weather at this year's Masters could pose some issues for Tiger Woods. 

The forecast in Augusta, Georgia, calls for a 50% chance of morning showers on Friday with rain increasing to 70% in the afternoon and the possibility of scattered thunderstorms. The forecast also projects a 90% chance of heavy rain on Saturday, accumulating 0.75-1.50 inches. And Sunday, there's a 50% chance of morning showers. 

That could cause the suspension of a round, and if multiple rounds need to be played in a single day, Woods' caddie, Joe LaCava, told the New York Post that Woods will struggle. 

"I can’t imagine [Woods] trying to go 27-plus holes [in one day] around here," LaCava said. 

Woods was involved in a single-car crash in February 2021, suffering comminuted open fractures to both the tibia and fibula in his right leg. It was uncertain if he'd ever play competitive golf again.

The 15-time major champion, however, returned to competition at the 2022 Masters and made the cut. He's made three Tour starts since, most recently at the Genesis Invitational in February, where he finished T-45 at 1 under overall. 

"I'm not going to play any more than probably the majors and maybe a couple more," Woods said afterward. "That's it, that's all my body will allow me to do. My back the way it is, all the surgeries I had on my back, my leg the way it is, I just can't. That's just going to be my future."

Now a year since his comeback at Augusta National, Woods has progressed. However, completing 72 holes is still — and likely always will be — a challenge. And if the weather forces Woods to play more than 18 holes in a day, that will make an already difficult task even harder. 

"He’s pretty banged up," LaCava said. "If it wasn’t Augusta he probably wouldn’t be playing. … He still has the power, the swing speed, the shots and the length to contend. The injury is devastating, but if he could take a cart, he could contend tomorrow."