MLB NEWS
The New York Mets' pitching staff was in disarray this season, compiling the third-worst ERA in the majors. General manager Sandy Alderson hopes to see improvement after naming Cleveland Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway as the 21st manager in Mets history.
Callaway spent the last five years handling Indians pitchers and oversaw a staff that led the majors with a 3.30 ERA and 1,614 strikeouts this year.
The Mets had 12 pitchers start at least one game as injuries destroyed the rotation. Jacob deGrom and Robert Gsellman were the only Mets hurlers to start more than 18 times.
Callaway also takes over a lineup that led the National League with 224 home runs but was 11th in on-base percentage on the way to a 70-92 record.
The 42-year-old Callaway replaces Terry Collins, who stepped down after leading the Mets to the 2015 National League pennant and two playoff appearances in a club-record seven seasons at the helm.
Callaway is only the third former big league pitcher to manage the Mets, joining Dallas Green and George Bamberger.
NFL-EAGLES/REDSKINS
The Philadelphia Eagles picked up their fifth straight win, but they also lost their nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle in the process.
Carson Wentz threw for 268 yards and four touchdowns as the Eagles overcame a poor start to beat the Redskins, 34-24 in Philadelphia. Wentz also had a career-high 63 yards rushing for the 6-1 Eagles, who logged just 57 yards on their first four drives before Mack Hollins hauled in a 64-yard scoring strike that tied the game 10-10.
Philadelphia finished the game without Jason Peters after he was carted off the field with a knee injury. Peters got hurt during the Eagles' 86-yard scoring drive that opened the second half.
Kirk Cousins had 303 yards passing and three TDs for the 3-3 Redskins.
NFL-NEWS
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will play at least one more game as he awaits another ruling from a federal judge on his six-game suspension over domestic violence allegations.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla has set an Oct. 30 hearing date, the day after the Cowboys play the Redskins. The judge turned down the NFL's request for an expedited hearing on a preliminary injunction that allowed Elliott to play over the weekend.
Elliott rushed for a season-high 147 yards rushing and set a career high with 219 total yards in Sunday's 40-10 rout of the 49ers.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
— Oakland running back Marshawn Lynch has presented his appeal to the NFL as he seeks to overturn his one-game suspension for bumping an official. Raiders coach Jack Del Rio says he hopes to learn by Tuesday whether Lynch will be eligible to play Sunday at Buffalo. Lynch was punished for coming off the sideline during a scuffle in the second quarter and then shoving a game official during Oakland's 31-30 victory over Kansas City last Thursday.
— The Detroit Lions have activated defensive tackle Khyri Thornton after he served a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. Thornton started six games last season and is expected to fill a need after defensive tackle Haloti Ngata was lost for the season with an elbow injury.
— Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo has been suspended for one game for violating player safety rules in Sunday's win against the Ravens. Sendejo's hit on Mike Wallace on Baltimore's second series of the game put the Baltimore receiver in concussion protocol.
— Chargers left guard Matt Slauson will miss the rest of the season with a biceps injury suffered in Sunday's win over the Broncos. Rookie third-round pick Dan Feeney will step into Slauson's spot on the Chargers' starting offensive line.
— Texans veteran left tackle Duane Brown has ended his season-long holdout, although it's unclear if he'll play Sunday against the Seahawks. The three-time Pro Bowler has been the team's starter since he was drafted in the first round in 2008. He did not receive a new contract and has two years left on his current deal.
— Dolphins coach Adam Gase says quarterback Jay Cutler has multiple cracked ribs, making it unlikely he'll play Thursday at Baltimore. Matt Moore is expected to start in Cutler's place after coming off the bench Sunday to throw for a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 31-28 comeback victory against the Jets.
— Indianapolis receiver T.Y. Hilton has apologized to his teammates after criticizing the Colts' offensive line following Sunday's 27-0 loss to the Jaguars. Hilton said the linemen need to take more pride in protecting signal-caller Jacoby Brissett after the Colts surrendered 10 sacks and allowed 20 quarterback hits.
ARENA FOOTBALL
The city of Albany will be home to arena football for a third time. A press conference is planned for Tuesday to announce a new anchor tenant at the downtown Times Union Center, which lost the Albany Devils minor league hockey team earlier this year. The arena hosted the Albany Conquest and the Albany Firebirds at two different levels of arena football until 2009, but hasn’t had a team at the top level since the Firebirds left after the 2000 season. The arena is undergoing a nearly $20 million renovation.
MLB-NEWS
The World Series begins tonight, with the Houston Astros taking on the LA Dodgers at 8:09 PM in Los Angeles. Game two is tomorrow night from Los Angeles.
In other major league news:
— Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says he expects Corey Seager to be on the World Series roster. Seager hurt his back on a slide in Game 3 of the NL Division Series and was left off the NL Championship Series roster.
— Jake Marisnick won't be on Houston's World Series roster, although manager A.J. Hinch says the outfielder's broken right thumb is healed. Marisnick hit 16 homers in 106 games before busting the thumb last month.
— Gerry Davis will serve as crew chief for the World Series. The crew will include Phil Cuzzi, Paul Nauert and Laz Diaz, along with Bill Miller and Dan Iassogna.
— The Braves have declined their $8 million option on 42-year-old knuckleballer R.A. Dickey and exercised their $4 million option on catcher Tyler Flowers. Dickey was the Braves' most consistent starter this season, going 10-10 with a 4.26 ERA in 31 starts. Flowers will return for his third season with Atlanta after hitting a career-best .281 with 12 homers and 49 RBIs.
— Bob Costas, Al Michaels and Joe Buck are among the finalists for the Hall of Fame's 2018 Ford Frick Award for excellence in baseball broadcasting. Don Drysdale, Dizzy Dean, Joe Morgan, Pee Wee Reese and Buddy Blattner are also among the finalists as the Hall restricts the upcoming vote to national broadcasters.
— Jose Oquendo will return to his role as third base coach for the Cardinals next season. Oquendo stepped aside in 2016 due to health problems after 16 seasons at third. Former third base coach Mike Shildt has been moved to bench coach, and Willie McGee has been named to the coaching staff in an undisclosed capacity.
— Eric Hinske has been hired to be the Angels' new hitting coach. Hinske spent the past four seasons on the Cubs' coaching staff, including three straight years as the assistant hitting coach on three playoff teams.
— Former Major Leaguer and current TV analyst Ray Knight has been charged with assault following an incident in his northern Virginia home. Police say the 64-year-old Knight got into a fight with a 33-year-old male acquaintance and that both had visible injuries.
NBA-SCHEDULE
The San Antonio Spurs continue to win games while playing without injured starters Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker.
LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs in scoring for the third time in as many games this season, finishing with 20 in a 101-97 triumph over Toronto. Aldridge hit one of two free throws in the final two seconds after Toronto closed within three points.
Dejounte Murray had 16 points and 15 rebounds for San Antonio, which won despite 20 turnovers.
DeMar DeRozan had 28 points and Serge Ibaka had 13 in the Raptors' first loss of the season.
Checking out the other NBA finals:
— Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson all scored over 20 points as the Warriors hammered the Mavericks, 133-103 to even their record at 2-2. Curry contributed 29 points, Durant had 25 and Thompson added 21 in the rout. Thompson nailed consecutive 3-pointers to cap a 15-2 run that turned a two-point lead into an 83-68 advantage in the third quarter.
— Marc Gasol scored 26 points and Mike Conley added 17 as the Grizzlies earned a 98-90 win at Houston to improve to 3-0 for the first time in three seasons. James Harden finished with 22 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the Rockets, who blew a 12-point, second-half lead.
— The Wizards are also 3-0 after Bradley Beal scored 20 points in a 109-104 win at Denver. John Wall delivered 19 points and 12 assists, while Otto Porter Jr. added 17 points and 10 boards to help Washington overcome 29 points by Nikola Jokic.
— Giannis Antetokounmpo had another double-double and the Bucks scored the last nine points to earn a 103-94 win against the Hornets. Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 14 rebounds, giving him at least 30 points in each of Milwaukee's first four games this season.
— The Suns won their first game under interim coach Jay Triano as Devin Booker had 22 points, including a pair of free throws with 9.8 seconds left in a 117-115 verdict over the Kings. Phoenix squandered a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter before Mike James hit a go-ahead basket with 14.1 seconds left to finish with 18 points.
— Joel Embiid poured in 30 points and rookie Ben Simmons recorded the first triple double as the Sixers beat the Pistons, 97-86. Simmons had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in his fourth NBA game and helped Philadelphia jump out to a 21-point lead.
— Wayne Ellington drained six 3-pointers in the second quarter on his way to a 20-point night in the Heats' 104-93 win against the Hawks. Josh Richardson added 21 points for the Heat, who coughed up a 21-point lead in the second half before icing the victory with a 17-6 spurt.
NBA-NEWS
Dwyane Wade has benched himself after playing poorly in the Cavaliers' first three games this season.
Wade has asked head coach Tyronn Lue to take him out of the starting lineup following his slow start. Wade averaged just 5.7 points and shot 28 percent in the Cavs' first three games, leading him to decide he would better serve the team by coming off the bench.
J.R. Smith returns to the starting lineup after being bumped to a backup role following Wade's arrival via free agency.
Lue praised Wade's selflessness as "big time."
Also in the NBA:
— Warriors teammates Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala have been fined by the league for their actions late in Saturday's loss at Memphis. Curry was fined $50,000 for throwing his mouthpiece in the direction of an official during the final minute. Iguodala received a $15,000 fine for verbally abusing a game official late in the 111-101 loss.
— Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe has been sent home after writing on Twitter Sunday: "Don't wanna be here." General manager Ryan McDonough said Bledsoe told him that he was at a hair salon and that's what the tweet was about, that it had nothing to do with the Suns. McDonough didn't buy the explanation and told Bledsoe to stay away, making the decision a day after head coach Earl Watson was fired and replaced by assistant Jay Triano on an interim basis.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-MIAMI-LARRANAGA
Miami coach Jim Larranaga believes he is the "Coach-3" named in court documents detailing the federal investigation of college basketball. However, he insists that he will be vindicated.
Larranaga spoke out Monday for the first time since the scandal broke. He read from a prepared statement and later refused to answer any questions related to the investigation or other people linked to the federal probe.
"Coach-3" is listed in court documents as someone who allegedly had conversations with an Adidas executive about paying a recruit $150,000 in exchange for a commitment.
Larranaga said he has spoken with FBI agents and has turned over what he described as thousands of text messages, emails and other materials.
NHL-SCHEDULE
The San Jose Sharks are leaving the New York metropolitan area after taking two of three against the local teams.
Logan Couture had a goal and an assist in the Sharks' third win in four games, 4-1 over the Rangers. Couture opened the scoring just 1:56 in and set up a Melker Karlsson goal that put San Jose ahead 4-0 early in the third.
Martin Jones stopped 33 shots and blanked the Rangers until Mika Zibanejad scored 4:56 into the final period.
The Rangers went 0-for-6 on the power play and lost for the sixth time in their last seven games.
Meanwhile, the Kings became the last NHL team to lose in regulation as the Maple Leafs pinned them with a 3-2 setback in Toronto. Mitchell Marner set up goals by Matt Martin and Tyler Bozak before Patrick Marleau notched the eventual game-winner early in the third period.
Trevor Lewis had a goal and an assist in the Kings' first loss in five games.
NHL-NEWS
Patrick Eaves' hockey career is on hold after the Ducks forward was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. The illness is a rare disorder in which a patient's immune system attacks the nervous system, sometimes resulting in death.
The Ducks disclosed that the veteran was in intensive care last week and is still hospitalized in Newport Beach, California.
Also in the NHL:
— The Flames have placed Jaromir Jagr on injured reserve with what the team initially called a lower-body injury. The 45-year-old right wing broke his stick attempting a shot in Saturday's loss to the Wild, skated to the bench and walked to the dressing room.
UPSTATE NY TEEN WINS SHOOTING COMPETITION
Rachel Champney said she likes competing in rimfire shooting competitions because "it's fun and she gets to meet new people all the time."
The 15-year-old Sherrill, N.Y. teen is also good - real good at what she does. Earlier this month, she won the ladies limited division at the National Shooting Sports Foundation Rimfire Challenge World Championship at a range in Woodville, Ala.
The competition involved shooting both a 22-caliber handgun and rifle in timed competitions at steel targets. Shooters were graded on speed and accuracy. A total of 314 men and women were at the competition - some using guns with optics (scopes); others, in the limited division (iron sights). Champney, a sophomore at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill School District, shoots with iron sights.
The Oneida County teen does not come from a family of shooters. In fact, her parents, Jennifer and Kevin Champney, initially didn't own any guns -- but eventually got the proper permits and bought some so their daughter could shoot.
Rachel's love of guns and shooting started at age 11, when she surprised her parents by saying she wanted to go hunting.
"We're not a family of hunters at all, but she still insisted," said her mother.
The parents decided it would be OK and allowed her to participate in a state Department of Environmental Conservation youth turkey hunt when she was 12 with an adult mentor by her side. She didn't get a bird that first year but really enjoyed it, her mom said. When she was 14, they enrolled her in a junior marksmanship program at the Oneida Rifle Club, "to make sure she was with people who would teach her the correct way to do things, safely and with discipline."
