Today marks the first full day of baseball’s Winter Meetings, that wonderful annual gathering in which baseball executives text each other trade proposals in closer physical proximity to one another than is usually the case while baseball writers repeatedly get drunk at the same hotel bar. This special event comes with its own vocabulary. Here, then, is a guide to all the terms one might need to know: Kicking the tires on: This term uses the popular baseball slang “tires,” which is another term for “knees.” In this scenario, the interested team is kicking the player in question in the knees repeatedly to analyze his capacity for pain. Making strong push for: The team demonstrates its strength to an attractive free agent by inviting him to watch the general manager move a football blocking sled. Closing in on: The team’s front office will surround the player until he has no choice but to listen to an offer. (The popularity of this technique and the need to be competitive here is responsible for the growing size of baseball operations staff in recent years.) Willing to listen to offers: The general manager of a club has written his last will and testament, designating a lower-ranking staffer to entertain potential deals on his behalf once he has been fired for exploiting Latin American teens. Checking in on: The team sends an unpaid intern to wake the player periodically throughout the night and see how he is doing. This provides important information on both the player’s sleep patterns and the cleanliness of his bedroom. Trade scenario: A beloved Jerry Dipoto fantasy that never loses its allure, no matter how many times he finds himself returning to it. Have been in touch with: The team has extended an offer to the player to join them for a viewing of three to five episodes of Kiefer Sutherland’s short-lived FOX drama Touch. High on wish list: Every team, at all times, has a piece of paper on which they write the free agents they’d most like to pursue. If they are particularly interested in a player, the team will grind the paper into a powder which the player then smokes, until he can be said to be high on their wish list. Hot stove: A.J. Preller is in the kitchen, one extra button undone on his ill-fitting shirt, heating up canned soup. Relatedunderdog fantasy reviewparlayplay online reviewsleeper fantasy app reviewdabble app reviewowners box fantasydraftkingsfan duel fantasy ratingunderdog bonus offersparlayplay promo codeshow to get sleeper bonus betsdabble offersowners box offerdraftkings fantasy new customer bonusfanduel fantasy deposit bonus
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Inter Milan and Napoli will be looking to cut the gap at the top of the Serie A table on Wednesday evening as they clash at the San Siro.
The two sides sit second and third in the standings ahead of the match, with a victory in Milan giving a statement to the rest of the league about their title credentials.
Inter Milan
Following their failure to secure the UEFA Europa League and Serie A titles last season, it s fair to say that the pressure ramped up on manager Antonio Conte ahead of the current campaign. Despite finishing bottom of their Champions League group, their fortunes have been much better domestically. The Nerazzurri have only lost one out of their opening 11 league matches, that being …
Bayern Munich still have an interest in signing great talent Callum Hudson-Odoi, coach Hansi Flick has confirmed.
The Chelsea winger was a target for the Bundesliga giants in January 2019 and links persisted again in the next transfer window, but he signed a new five-year contract at Stamford Bridge last September.
Having suffered an Achilles injury late in the 2018-19 season, however, Hudson-Odoi has struggled to rediscover the form that made him an England international.
But the 19-year-old made his first Premier League start of the season against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
And while Hudson-Odoi was in action, Flick reaffirmed his admiration for the teenager amid reports he could move to Bavaria on loan.
I don t know what happens, Flick tol…
Wales football chiefs are demanding answers from FIFA after fans were told to remove and discard rainbow-coloured hats before going into the World Cup game against the United States.
The Wales team s LGBTQ+ supporters group, known as the Rainbow Wall, has representation in Qatar, and its bucket hats were being worn by a number of fans arriving at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Monday.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) said it had played a part in the Rainbow Wall bucket hats being created and was extremely disappointed female fans were instructed to give up the items.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the FAW said: The FAW has collated information on these alleged incidents and will be addressing this matter directly with FIFA today.
Former Wales foo…
Ruben Dias has signed a new six-year contract with Manchester City, the club announced on Monday.
The centre-back enjoyed a fantastic first year in English football and has been rewarded with a new deal that will keep him with the Premier League champions until 2027.
Dias joined from Benfica for a reported £65million (€89m) in September 2020, with his previous deal having run though 2025-26.
An extra year has been added on by Pep Guardiola s men as the Portugal defender continues to partner either Aymeric Laporte or John Stones, though Nathan Ake has also been used by Pep Guardiola at the start of 2021-22.
Last term, Dias made 50 appearances as City lifted their fifth Premier League title, with the 24-year-old going on to be named Premier League Pl…
Besiktas have targeted Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh as a potential replacement for Hugo Almeida or Ricardo Quaresma.
Club board member Ahmed Nur Cebi outlined the situation regarding Almeida and Quaresma, as well as identifying Chamakh, plus Mevlut Erding of Rennes, as potential arrivals.
Chamakh joined the Gunners in 2008 from Bordeaux but has found first-team opportunities difficult to come by after his initial promising form at the Emirates Stadium fading.
Cebi confirmed the club s interest in the Moroccan but suggested that he may have expectations of joining a bigger club.
Chamakh, I d love but we re different from his expectations, he said.
Cebi went on to reveal that Besiktas interest in Gokhan Unal, of Fenerbahce, and Necati Ates, of…
A 26-year-old worker has died during construction work at Everton’s new stadium.
Merseyside Police confirmed that an injured man later died at hospital “after an incident” at Bramley Moore Dock on Monday afternoon.
They said that “his next of kin have been told and an investigation is under way”.
Everton tweeted that everyone at the club is “heartbroken” by the news a male worker had died following an incident at the site.
They said: “The thoughts and condolences of everyone connected with Everton are with his family, friends, and colleagues at this unimaginably sad time.”
Stadium contractor Laing O’Rourke said they were “shocked and saddened” by the death.
Work at the site has been suspended work “until further n…
Gary Neville believes any team eyeing the Premier League title this season will have to get past Chelsea if they are to be successful.
Jose Mourinho s side finished the previous campaign eight points clear of Manchester City to be crowned champions for the first time since 2010 and have since added to their squad with the signing of Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan.
Chelsea s rivals have been busy in the transfer market, with Petr Cech moving to Arsenal, Manchester United acquiring Memphis Depay and Liverpool making six new signings including Roberto Firmino and Danny Ings.
Despite the other contenders seeking to close the gap, Neville says Chelsea will start the new campaign as favourites.
We re in July when teams haven t completed their busines…
Watford have secured the future of Almen Abdi after he signed a new three-year deal on Tuesday.
The midfielder moved to Vicarage Road from Udinese in 2012 and has gone on score 23 goals in 92 Watford appearances.
Abdi joins the likes of Troy Deeney, Craig Cathcart and Gabriele Angella in signing new contracts with the Premier League newcomers during the close-season.
The 28-year-old started his career with Zurich in Switzerland, and he spent six months with Le Mans from January 2010 before moving to Udinese ahead of the 2010-11 campaign.
…
Ten-man Paris Saint-Germain began their Ligue 1 title defence with a battling 1-0 victory over Lille at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Friday.
With the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic and new recruit Angel di Maria watching from the stands, Laurent Blanc s men looked to be up against it when they lost Adrien Rabiot to a senseless red card with only 28 minutes on the clock.
However, the visitors dug deep and pinched the points courtesy of a superbly-constructed goal from Lucas Moura just short of the hour mark.
The result marked the first time since 2010 that PSG have started their league campaign with a win and although they rarely resembled the side that swept all before them en route to an historic domestic treble last season, Blanc will certainly have been heartened by …
Spain defender Cesar Azpilicueta is anticipating another difficult encounter as the reigning European Champions prepare to host Slovakia in Saturday s Euro 2016 qualifier.
The only defeat of Vicente del Bosqu
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e s side s campaign came at the hands of Slovakia, who claimed a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture in Zilina last October.
Juraj Kucka gave Slovakia the lead on that occasion, with Miroslav Stoch ensuring success three minutes from time after Paco Alcacer had cancelled out the opener.
Slovakia remain unbeaten and head Group C by three points from Spain and can approach the game with a degree of freedom knowing that qualification is within their grasp.
Regardless of the result in Oviedo, Jan Kozak s men will qualify for the finals providing…