DUSTIN PEDROIA HAS KNEE-MONIA?
This Wednesday Boston's injury-prone D.Pedroia under-went 'cartilage restoration' up-on his left knee. It's expected to sideline the second-baseman seven-months -- meaning he'll miss 2018's start. Pedroia dealt with knee injury all 2017, starting 97 games at second-base; even after last-October's arthroscopic surgery on a torn meniscus.
Pedroia's '17 production lagged, batting a lower than expected .293, managing only 19 doubles, seven homers. BoSox prez Dave Dombrowski hath thunk aloud the injury might be chronic. On the plus side, I also feel he's rather cancerous in the club-house. Halfway through an eight-year, $110M contract -- utility-infielder Brock Holt is the prevailing replacement option.
MICKEY CALLAWAY NAMED METS SKIPPER
Within a month of the New York Mets bitterly disappointing/frustrating 2017 campaign mercifully-ending, Terry Collins was canned and their new skipper, Mickey Callaway, announced. M.Callaway, now-former Cleveland Indians pitching coach, will serve as the Metropolitans 21st manager.Given Callaway's lack-of managerial experience, the hiring was somewhat a' surprise, particularly since the Mets had the similarly lacking Kevin Long already in their fold. Sandy Alderson, Mets GM, said at Monday's presser that what began as a list 35-names deep, 'twas whittled down-to six. Then, so impressed with Callaway, he hired him after a lone meeting -- cancelling a second-round of interviews.
CRAWFORD IS HORN'S WBO MANDATORY
The WBO hath named undefeated Terence Crawford as the mandatory challenger for Jeff Horn's 147-pound title. J.Horn will now have to face T.Crawford within 90 days of his upcoming defense 'gainst Gary Corcoran.Crawford collected all four major 140lb titles in August via knocking-out Julius Indongo in three rounds. A step-up to Welterweight was an immediate thought, and one we can now rest-assured a'. Horn is still rather freshly-off of upsetting Manny Pacquiao in July and even though the champion, he is expected to be a heavy underdog against "Bud" Crawford, whom ranked as my number-two pound-for-pound pugilist last month.
KOVALEV NAMES NEW TRAINER
Sergey Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KO) is training for his November 25 MSG Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (19-1, 16 KO) bout. We now know whom is training him: Abror Tursunpulatov. You mightn't know him as trainer of F.Gaibnazarov, Uzbek 2016 Olympic gold-medalist. Tursunpulatov hath trained a slew of Eastern European amateurs and believes he can sharpen Kovalev. Krusher agrees. He's also stated greater comfort-levels with a white... ... E.European task-master.Bandied-about were R.Garcia, V.Hunter, and F.Roach. The latter making least sense outside a' complexion -- offense ain't needing addressed. "Krusher" must impress against Shabranskyy, after two losses in-a-row to A.Ward; and falling-out with former-trainer J.Jackson.
THE PLAYER SCORES UPSET AT FAYETTE STAKES
The Player, a 4 year-old son of Street Hero, scored his first graded stakes victory Saturday, and his fourth win overall in 10 career starts. Going-off at 8-1 under Calvin Borel, The Player stalked Neolithic, who's battled with the likes-of Arrogate and Gun Runner -- as the two separated from the others with C.Borel taking him wide. He then went by Neolithic mid-stretch to finish ahead a' the grade-two $200K Hagyard Fayette Stakes field. McCraken finished a well-back third whilst the 7-5 favorite Honorable Duty didn't hit the board. The 1 1/8 miles sloppy track was run in 1:48.16
WINX DIGS-DEEP, EXTENDS STREAK IN COX PLATE
The six year-old Aussie super-star looked almost vulnerable if not nigh-normal and then went on to show a depth a' reserves not before fathomed. Eased back by H.Bowman to sit three-wide mid-pack -- then winning from six-lengths off. A classic race for the ages in which she beat her own track record and tied Black Caviar's 15 Group-One wins.
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"THE MONK REPLIED"