Tuesday Morning Sports with KWBW’s Rob Dreher.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Les Miles sat for more than hour, a Kansas pin on his left lapel and his LSU national championship ring on his right hand, answering wave after wave of often repetitive questions as he closes in on his return to coaching — and the Big 12 — with the long-suffering Jayhawks.

The session started with whether the one-game suspension for running back Pooka Williams in a domestic case was too short, and ended with the 65-year-old reminiscing about leaving the Dallas Cowboys for Oklahoma State and his first shot as a head coach nearly two decades ago.

In between, the theme was pretty consistent. The 2011 national coach of the year believes he’ll soon be back where he belongs after 2½ years away: on the sideline.

“I think it’s an enjoyment and a realization how much I am a football coach and how much I enjoy going to the sideline with my team,” Miles said as Big 12 media days opened Monday.

With that thought, Miles tried to peek through the crowd of reporters, looking for one of the tunnels at the home of the Dallas Cowboys because he realized he was on the same field where eight years earlier he led the Tigers into a season opener against Oregon.

“That moment, just kind of something that I fall back on, how much I enjoy taking the field with a team that was ready to play,” said Miles, whose team beat Oregon and was 13-0 before losing to Alabama in the BCS championship game to end the 2011 season.

The title came four years earlier with a BCS win over Ohio State. Nearly a decade later, Miles was fired at LSU after a 2-2 start in 2016, having weathered years of criticism that his offense was too old-fashioned for the pass-happy college game.

Now he finds himself in the pass-happiest conference among the Power Five leagues, where outscoring opponents has often been the trick to winning the title, as Oklahoma has shown while winning a record four straight Big 12 championships.

“If we need to throw the ball to win the game, we want to throw the ball to win the game,” said Miles, who signed a five-year contract worth $15.1 million before performance incentives. “If we need to run the ball to win the game, we’re going to run the ball to win the game.”

The toughest questions for Miles were about the focal point of that running game: Williams. The sophomore was recently reinstated after being away from the team seven months following his arrest in a domestic battery case involving an 18-year-old woman.

The suspension for the season opener Aug. 31 against Indiana State has been criticized as insufficient after the Kansas student Williams was dating accused him of punching her in the stomach and grabbing her throat.

Miles said it was important for him to stay out of the investigation by law enforcement and the university’s code of conduct proceedings. Williams, who ran for 1,125 yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman, reached a domestic violence diversion agreement with prosecutors.

“He’s been remorseful,” Miles said. “He’s learned from this experience, as has our team. We’re thankful to have him back, and, again, no violence against a woman is OK. I did not make this decision, but I stand by it and see it as a right one.”

Miles’ return to the Big 12 is similar to his first stint in the league, starting in 2001. Oklahoma State had just one winning record in 12 years before he arrived, then went to bowl games the last three of Miles’ four seasons there.

Kansas has gone 18-90 while dumping three head coaches since Mark Mangino was fired two years after leading the Jayhawks to an Orange Bowl win and a 12-1 record in 2007 — the same season Miles won his national title.

Miles, who inherited a strong program from Nick Saban at LSU, went 114-34 with the Tigers, winning at least 10 games in seven of his 11 full seasons. Oh, and safety Mike Lee has noticed that ring.

“He wears it every day,” said Lee, a senior. “Looking at the ring, I want to get me a national championship ring. But before we get to a national championship, we got to get to a bowl game.”

Miles couldn’t have scripted that answer any better, and the oldest head coach in the Big 12 believes he can get that process started, using the same energy that was so much a part of the quirky sideline behavior at his previous two stops.

“If it’s not the oldest coach, then what is the alternative? I think I’ll take being the oldest coach,” he said.

And if he seems as if he’s slowed down a bit at retirement age, while taking over a football program dwarfed by its basketball counterpart ?

“I can only tell you that my focus is clean,” Miles said. “My preparation is early to late. I think this Kansas team will be difficult to reckon with should we stay on task.”

In other words, don’t sleep on Miles’ Jayhawks.

CHICAGO (AP) — With their All-Star catcher sidelined, the Chicago Cubs quickly found some experienced help behind the plate.

The NL Central leaders acquired Martín Maldonado in a trade with Kansas City on Monday night that sent left-hander Mike Montgomery to the Royals.

Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein announced the deal following Chicago’s 6-3 loss to Cincinnati — adding that top catcher Willson Contreras was going on the 10-day injured list with a strain to the arch area of his right foot.

The 32-year-old Maldonado, a Gold Glove winner in 2017 with the Angels, was batting .227 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 74 games for the struggling Royals this season. The Cubs will be his fifth team in nine major league seasons, and Epstein expects him to provide a strong defensive presence.

“He can really receive,” Epstein said. “He can really throw. He’s caught playoff games. He’s handled some of the best pitchers in the game. He’s a favorite of pitchers to throw to. He calls a great game.”

Contreras’ injury initially was not deemed serious and he was expected to start Tuesday, but an MRI showed enough damage to warrant shutting down the 27-year-old. Epstein said Contreras should improve quickly with rest and the club hopes he’ll be ready to play once eligible to return from a backdated stint on the IL.

“Our medical staff feels like if he were to try to play on it, that he’d be risking exacerbating the injury and turning it into something long term,” Epstein said. “So we have to get ahead of it, take it out of Willie’s hands and get him off his feet.”

The Cubs, holding a slim lead in their crowded division, weren’t sure if Maldonado would arrive at Wrigley Field in time for Tuesday night’s game against the Reds. He was pulled by the Royals from Monday night’s home game against the Chicago White Sox for a pinch-hitter, backup catcher Cam Gallagher, in the sixth inning.

Maldonado is a .220 career hitter with 57 homers and 210 RBIs in 686 games.

Montgomery, 30, is 1-2 with a 5.67 ERA in 20 relief appearances for the Cubs this year, and was 14-17 with three saves in 119 games for Chicago over four seasons.

Montgomery got the final out in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Cleveland, ending the Cubs’ 108-year championship drought.

“You can’t talk about his contributions without talking about him getting the last out in that World Series that changed everybody’s lives,” Epstein said. “Beyond that, I thought he started coming into his own.”

Montgomery is expected to get a chance to start with the Royals, who drafted him in 2008. He was traded to Tampa Bay four years later with Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi, and made his big league debut with Seattle in 2015.

The deal with the Rays involving Montgomery was one of the most significant in Royals history because it netted pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis.

Shields won 27 games over two strong seasons with the Royals and helped them capture the 2014 AL pennant. Davis blossomed into a lights-out reliever in Kansas City and was a critical member of the 2015 World Series championship team.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore said the club intends to use Montgomery in the rotation as a replacement for Homer Bailey, who was dealt to Oakland on Sunday.

“He clearly wants to start,” Moore said about Montgomery. “He’s kind of been used in a very versatile role over there. He’s pitched in the middle, he’s pitched situational — it’s just a good opportunity to get him back and put him in the rotation.

“We’re going to have to stretch him out,” the GM added, “but the plan is for him to start on Friday (at Cleveland). Once we get him here and talk to him and analyze it a little more, we’ll figure out how many pitches he goes.”

Moore said catcher Meibrys Viloria will be called up from Double-A Northwest Arkansas to replace Maldonado on the roster. Viloria is batting .264 in 63 games.

Moore appreciated the effort this year from Maldonado, signed to a $2.5 million, one-year contract as a free agent to take over the starting job from injured All-Star Salvador Pérez, who is sidelined for the entire season.

“We can’t say enough about how he competed, the tone he set for our pitching staff, the way he studies, the way he prepares,” Moore said. “He’s played some of his best baseball here the last month.”

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Four hits from Taylor Barber helped lead the way for Hutchinson Monarchs over Wichita Sluggers 11-5 on Monday in the first game of the doubleheader. With the sweep of the Sluggers, the Monarchs clinched a playoff spot for the post season and a chance for the last automatic NBC tourney bid.

Barber doubled in the first, singled in the third, singled in the fourth, and doubled in the seventh.
The  Sluggers scored four runs in the sixth inning, but Hutchinson  still managed to pull out the victory. The big inning for Wichita  came thanks to free passes by way of bases on balls.

Hutchinson Monarchs got on the board in the first inning when Barber doubled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring one run.
Hutchinson Monarchs notched four runs in the third inning. Garrett Stephens, Ryan Stoecklein, Keith Wolverton, and Mason Lowe each had RBIs in the frame.

Noah Kelley got the start for Hutchinson Monarchs. He surrendered one run on four hits over five innings, striking out four. LJ McDonough came on in relief but struggled.  Dawson Dreher came in and on 3 pitches got out of a bases loaded jam, then pitched a scoreless 7th inning.

Lumpkin led things off on the hill for Wichita Sluggers. He went four innings, allowing five runs on eight hits, striking out four and walking zero. Easton Conrad and Drake Girrardeach contributed in relief for Wichita Sluggers.

Hutchinson Monarchs totaled 12 hits in the game. Barber, Conor Craig, and Jackson Loftineach racked up multiple hits for Hutchinson Monarchs.

Barber went 4-for-4 at the plate to lead Hutchinson Monarchs in hits. Hutchinson Monarchs didn’t commit a single error in the field. Stoecklein had six chances in the field, the most on the team.

Game #2:

In game 2, the Hutchinson Monarchs took the lead early and won 4-1.

Dylan Nedved was on the hill for Hutchinson Monarchs. He went six innings, allowing one run on five hits and striking out three.  Dawson Dreher saw his 2nd game of action for the night as he came in to close out the game in the 7th including 2 strikeouts.

Paddy Walsh started the game for Wichita Sluggers. He lasted four innings, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out three.

Hutchinson Monarchs scattered eight hits in the game. Jackson Loftin, Jeremiah Ceasar, and Conor Craig all collected multiple hits for Hutchinson Monarchs. Craig, Ceasar, and Loftin each collected two hits to lead Hutchinson Monarchs.

Craig led the Monarchs with 3 RBI’s and stayed hot at the plate.

Next action for the Monarchs is in Great Bend as the Monarchs take on the Bat Cats who have already clinched a playoff berth.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals are planning to extend the netting at Kauffman Stadium to better protect fans.

The decision comes after a fan was hit by a ball Sunday during the Royals’ game against the Detroit Tigers.

Spokesman Toby Cook told KSHB-TV the girl was kept at a hospital overnight for observation and was expected to be released Monday.

He said the club had commissioned a study on how to expand the netting before Sunday’s incident. The timing of extending the netting depends on engineering and design challenges. But Cook says more netting could be added before the season ends.

Following recommendations from Major League Baseball, the Royals in 2016 extended the netting from the outside edges of the dugouts and raised it behind home plate about 8 feet.

NEWTON, Kan. – The Hutchinson Hawks Jr. American Legion baseball team bounced back after dropping a Sunday afternoon game to Junction City to beat Derby 12-2 Monday afternoon in Newton.

The Hutchinson Hawks stayed alive with a 12-2 win over the Derby Bandits in a game that ended in six innings on the 10-run rule in a Zone 4 elimination game.

Hutchinson scored in every inning but the fourth. Derby scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn’t keep the game going.

Bennett Turner pitched four innings for the win, striking out five. Carter Booe finished the game, striking out two.

That win advances Hutch into the Zone 4 quarterfinals to take on El Dorado at 3 pm on Wednesday.  Check back with Hutchpost.com for more information as soon as it is received.

Courtesy of Fox Sports Dallas Big 12 Media Day

ARLINGTON, Texas – Big 12 Media day started in Arlington, Texas.  Kansas, TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma were featured today, with the remainder teams, Iowa State, West Virginia, Baylor, Kansas State and Texas to follow on Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

Daily Schedule for the Big 12 FB Media Days_2019

Les Miles Quotes from his Big 12 Media Press Conference:  19mediaday-lesmiles

WICHITA, Kans. – With less that a week remaining, the Sunflower Collegiate League is still tight with oneexception.  The Cheney Diamond Dawgs have locked up the SCL West.  NBC Tourney bids will go to three of the leagues teams.

The two division winners will get automatic bids and then the remaining bid will be decided by a four team playoff on a to be determined date.  SLC West Champs Cheney and the SLC East Champs Haysville Aviators will compete in a best of three game series to determin the overall League Champion.

Those four teams right now are the Great Bend Bat Cats (playoff spot clinched), Hutchinson Monarchs, Derby Twins, El Dorado Broncos, and Newton Rebels.  The Bat Cats and Monarchs play each other twice this week as do the Twins and Broncos

League Standings

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt homered, Adam Wainwright pitched seven scoreless innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals held on to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2. Wainwright relied on a mixture of cutters, change-ups and curve balls as he allowed four hits, walked one and struck out seven. Arizona trailed 5-0 going to the ninth before scoring twice and had the bases loaded with two outs. However, Carlos Martinez got Eduardo Escobar to hit a fly ball to center.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jeimer Candelario hit a bases-clearing double and Gordon Beckham added a two-run homer during a seven-run third inning, and the Detroit Tigers took advantage of Kansas City’s late pitching switch to beat the Royals 12-8. Nick Ramirez earned the win with three solid innings in relief of Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann. Brian Flynn took the loss after the late start in place of Homer Bailey, who was dealt to Oakland for an infield prospect.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals are sending Homer Bailey to the Oakland Athletics after scratching the veteran right-hander about 45 minutes before his scheduled start against Detroit. In return, Kansas City is getting minor league infielder Kevin Merrell. He’s been playing at Double-A Midland and will report to the Royals’ affiliate at Northwest Arkansas.

National Headlines

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) _ Novak Djokovic has won his fifth Wimbledon title, beating eight-time champion Roger Federer in a fifth-set tiebreaker after saving two match points. The top-seeded Serb won 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12, defeating Federer in the final for the third time. He also beat Federer in the final in 2014 and 2015. Djokovic is the first man since 1948 to save championship points in the final and go on to win.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The Oakland Athletics have picked up starting pitching help by getting Homer Bailey from the Kansas City Royals for minor league infielder Kevin Merrell. The 33-year-old Bailey has rebounded with the Royals since signing a minor league deal in February, going 7-6 with a 4.80 ERA. Merrell has been playing at Double-A Midland and will report to the Royals’ affiliate at Northwest Arkansas.

SILVIS, Illinois (AP) _ Dylan Frittelli picked up his first PGA victory by taking the John Deere Classic by two strokes over Russell Henley. The South African closed with a bogey-free 7-under 64. He finished 21 under for the tournament and earned a spot in this week’s British Open. Frittelli opened with rounds of 66, 68 and 65 to begin Sunday two strokes back.

AKRON, Ohio (AP) _ Retief Goosen birdied the final two holes to win the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship at Firestone Country Club for his first PGA Tour Champions title. The 50-year-old Hall of Famer broke a tie for the lead with a 15-foot putt on the par-4 17th and made a 10-footer on the par-4 18th for a 2-under 68. Goosen ended up two strokes ahead of 65-year-old Jay Haas and Tim Petrovic.

Sunday Scores

INTERLEAGUE
Final L-A Dodgers 7 Boston 4, 12 Innings

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final N-Y Yankees 4 Toronto 2
Final Tampa Bay 4 Baltimore 1
Final Cleveland 4 Minnesota 3
Final Detroit 12 Kansas City 8
Final Houston 12 Texas 4
Final L-A Angels 6 Seattle 3
Final Oakland 3 Chi White Sox 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 4 Washington 3
Final N-Y Mets 6 Miami 2
Final San Francisco 8 Milwaukee 3
Final St. Louis 5 Arizona 2
Final Chi Cubs 8 Pittsburgh 3
Final Colorado 10 Cincinnati 9
Final Atlanta 4 San Diego 1