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Orioles reset: Félix Bautista has earned his All-Star reputation. Just ask the hitters who’ve faced him.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:42 GMT

When a dominant new pitcher emerges, Kevin Kiermaier is eager to face him and see what the hype is about.The Toronto Blue Jays center fielder had that same reaction with Félix Bautista when the Orioles closer broke out as one of the best relief pitchers in baseball, and Kiermaier has now faced the towering right-hander four times.Does he still have that same enthusiasm?“I’d gladly never face him again,” Kiermaier said with a laugh.In his second major league season, Bautista is an All-Star, earning a trip to Seattle after a stellar first half in which he saved 23 games, posted a 1.07 ERA and put himself on pace to shatter strikeout records by punching out 18.0 batters per nine innings.Despite his surprise breakout last season, it’s not a mystery why Bautista is having the success he is. It’s mostly simple: He throws 100 mph and has a nasty splitter.“He’s one of the best closers in the game for a reason,” Kansas City Royals infielder Maikel Garcia said.But hitters around the league li...

Column: Home Run Derby — this year featuring Chicago White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. — has eclipsed the All-Star Game as must-see TV

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:42 GMT

I recently relayed my idea for how Luis Robert Jr. could steal the show at Monday’s Home Run Derby in Seattle to one of his Chicago White Sox teammates.“That’s sick,” he replied.I wasn’t sure if he meant it was a cool idea or that I was disturbed, and since both were possibilities, I let it go. I then attempted to give my idea to Robert but was informed by his handler he was not talking that day. An attempt to interview Sox bullpen catcher Luis Sierra, who will be throwing to Robert in the derby, also was rebuffed.But if you see Robert walk out for the derby wearing the long coat and fedora that Sox players don after hitting home runs, remember where you heard it first. In fact all the contestants should have some similar kind of shtick, just as many teams do in dugouts.It is, after all, entertainment.A somewhat reluctant entrant into the derby, Robert originally said he was not interested in participating but changed his mind last week after some lobbying by fellow Cubans Randy Aro...

Luis Robert Jr. is the top seed in the Home Run Derby. Here’s what else to know — including how Cubs and White Sox players have fared.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:42 GMT

Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. is the No. 1 seed in Monday night’s Home Run Derby at Lumen Field in Seattle.Here’s what to know about the event — including how Cubs and White Sox players have fared in the past.History of the eventESPN didn’t start airing the event live until 1994, but the derby actually dates to December 1959, when the major leagues’ best sluggers went to Wrigley Field — in Los Angeles, then home of the Pacific Coast League’s Angels — over a three-week period to take their hacks in “Home Run Derby,” a short-lived television show with Chicago native Mark Scott as host.The 30-minute show aired weekly for 26 episodes during the major-league season. Nine of the 19 players who participated in April 1960 — including Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Ernie Banks — went on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Of the 20 players who hit 25 home runs or more in 1959, Scott recruited all but four to compete on “Home Run Derby.”And of the 16 major-lea...

Two-vehicle crash in Brampton sends man, woman to hospital

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:42 GMT

Two people are in hospital after a two-vehicle crash in Brampton on Monday morning.It happened at Humberwest Parkway and Cotrelle Boulevard, near Castlemore and Airport roads around 5:30 a.m.A man and a woman were taken to hospital with unknown injuries.Police say a traffic light was knocked down onto the roadway at the intersection.There is no word what caused the crash.Humberwest is closed between Castlemore and Williams Parkway for the investigation and collision cleanup. Motorists are being asked to avoid the area.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will leave politics after election, marking end of a political era

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:42 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the Netherlands’ longest serving premier, said Monday he will leave politics after an early general election sparked by a dispute over migration that led to his government’s resignation.His decision means the end of nearly 13 years in power for the conservative leader sometimes called ” Teflon Mark ” because scandals that plagued his four different administrations did not stick to him.Rutte, the 56-year-old leader of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, or VVD, announced his decision at a hastily arranged parliamentary debate to discuss the fall of his latest governing coalition.“Yesterday morning I made a decision that I will not be available again as a leader of the VVD. When a new Cabinet takes office after the elections, I will leave politics,” he said.Rutte called it a “personal decision, regardless of the developments in recent weeks.” There was no immediate indication who might replace Rutte a...

Man charged in Berlin with attempted arson attack on building housing Russian intelligence officers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:42 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A Russian citizen has been charged in Berlin with attempted homicide and attempted arson for placing an explosive or incendiary device last year in a building where Russian intelligence officers lived, prosecutors in the German capital said Monday.The 45-year-old, whose name was not released, is accused of placing the device in an opening at the building’s basement in late April 2022. It failed to ignite for reasons that are unclear and was discovered and defused only days later.The suspect was arrested on Dec. 14. Before that, he was involved in public protests against the Russian government, including a protest camp outside the Russian Embassy in Berlin, prosecutors said in a statement. Shortly after Russia launched its war in Ukraine in February 2022, he posted on social media about the building that was later attacked and said that “war against us all” was being conducted from it.The man was “not uncontroversial” among Russian opposition activists, prosecutor...

Crash between GO bus, SUV in North York leaves man in critical condition

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:42 GMT

A man is fighting for his life in hospital after a crash involving a bus and another vehicle in North York.Emergency crews responded to a two-vehicle collision at Allen Road and Sheppard Avenue around 11:30 p.m. Sunday.Police say an SUV collided with a GO bus. The driver of the SUV was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries.There is no word on what caused the crash.There were road closures in the area, but the area has since reopened to motorists.COLLISION:Allen Rd and Sheppard Ave W11:38 pm-two vehicles involved -SUV collided with a GO bus-the driver of the SUV was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.-roads have now been re-opened#GO1598176^lm— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) July 10, 2023

Two firefighters injured while battling fire at Brampton home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:42 GMT

Two firefighters are in hospital as they worked to put out a fire at a home in Brampton.Crews were called to what police believe is an unoccupied home in the Cadence Road and Eastman Drive area, near Chinguacousy and Williams Parkway, around 4 a.m. on Monday.It is not clear what the firefighters’ injuries are but Peel police say they are not life-threatening.The Office of the Fire Marshal has been notified.

Ukrainian soccer club calls out Turkish rival for going to Russia to play Gazprom-owned Zenit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:42 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — Ukrainian soccer club Dynamo Kyiv told Turkish rival Fenerbahce it had “blood on your hands” for going to Russia to play Zenit St. Petersburg on Sunday in a preseason game.It is the latest dispute between two clubs who played each other in the Champions League qualifying rounds and Europa League last season, and could meet again within weeks in the Europa Conference League.Dynamo posted a statement on its Instagram account with red splashes on the blue logo of Russian state energy giant Gazprom, the long-time owner and shirt sponsor of Zenit.“The bloody money of Gazprom has eclipsed everything for you, left you without honor and conscience,” Dynamo said, targeting the storied Istanbul club.Gazprom was dropped by UEFA as a Champions League and 2024 European Championship sponsor within days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine starting in February last year.UEFA also removed all Russian teams from its competitions and stripped the country of hosting the 2022 Champions Leag...

Albanian prosecutors demand arrest of lawmaker and former deputy premier on corruption charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:42 GMT

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albanian special prosecutors demanded on Monday that a lawmaker and former deputy prime minister be arrested on corruption charges, accusing him of failing to declare his assets and other criminal offenses.The Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime, in charge of prosecuting senior officials, made public its request that Arben Ahmetaj be taken into custody. Ahmetaj, 54, was a deputy prime minister and also served as minister of finance and economy in two previous Cabinets of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.As lawmaker, Ahmetaj has parliamentary immunity — meaning that Parliament would first need to agree on his arrest before any action to detain him is taken. Meanwhile, two villas belonging to Ahmetaj have been temporarily seized during the investigation.He is also being investigated for concession contracts on public waste management, a serious concern for Albania’s governments and a top priority in its efforts to join the Europea...