Tagged with Sports

YANKEES SIGN LHP GIO GONZALEZ

The New York Yankees announced today that they have signed two-time All-Star LHP Gio Gonzalez to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League spring training.

 

Gonzalez, 33, combined to go 10-11 with a 4.21 ERA (171.0IP, 167H, 84R/80ER, 80BB, 148K, 17HR) in 32 starts with the Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers in 2018. The Hialeah, Fla., native began the season with the Nationals before being traded to the Brewers along with international bonus pool money on August 31, 2018, in exchange for 1B/C K.J. Harrison and INF Gilbert Lara. In five starts for Milwaukee, Gonzalez went 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA (25.1IP, 6ER) and 22K to help lead the Brewers to their first division title and postseason berth since 2011.

 

In 313 games (307 starts) across parts of 11 Major League seasons with the Oakland Athletics (2008-11), Nationals (2012-18) and Brewers (2018), he is 127-97 with a 3.69 ERA (1,814.0IP, 744ER). He ranks fifth among all pitchers with 283 starts this decade (since 2010).

 

Following his first All-Star nod with Oakland in 2011, Gonzalez finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting with Washington in 2012 after leading the Majors with a career-high 21 wins (21-8, 2.89 ERA in 32 starts). In 2017, he placed sixth in NL Cy Young Award voting, going 15-9 with a 2.96 ERA in 32 starts with the Nationals.

 

He was originally selected by the Chicago White Sox in the first round (38th overall) of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.

 

Gonzalez will wear uniform No. 43.

Rob Morse

Senior Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations

New York Yankees

AAF – Let Kaepernick Stay a Martyr

Note to the Alliance of American Football – even reaching out to the likes of Colin Kaepernick will turn off your fanbase, many who are made up of folks boycotting the NFL because of him. Let him stay a martyr; he opted out of a multi-million dollar deal with the 49ers to do exactly what he wanted to do – become a spokesperson for the ’cause’ and his alleged demand for $20 million proves just that (with the salary structure of the AAF).

This MuscleSport Minute is brought to you by http://www.fulldisclosurenutrition.com

 

MARC TRESTMAN NAMED XFL HEAD COACH IN TAMPA BAY

The XFL today announced that Marc Trestman, a former head coach in the NFL and CFL, where he was two-time Coach of the Year, has been named the head coach and general manager of the new XFL team in Tampa Bay.

“We are pleased to welcome Marc Trestman to the XFL and excited about the opportunity to leverage his three decades of coaching experience as we reimagine the game of football,” said XFL Commissioner & CEO, Oliver Luck. “Marc is a two-time Coach of the Year who also led his teams to three CFL Grey Cup championships. He’s just the kind of offensive-minded coach whose style will fit the up-tempo, fast-paced game we will deliver to fans when the XFL launches next February.”

“I am very excited to be on the ground floor with Oliver, his team, and the other coaches across the XFL to help reimagine football,” said Trestman. “I started my coaching career in Florida while I was in law school, and personally know the passion and love for the game that football fans have in the Tampa Bay area and across the state. I can’t wait to begin putting a coaching staff together and building a team that will play disciplined, fundamentally sound and exciting football come February. Many thanks to Vince McMahon and Commissioner Luck for this tremendous opportunity.”

Trestman joins Bob Stoops (Dallas), Pep Hamilton (Washington, D.C.) and Jim Zorn (Seattle) as the XFL head coaches named to date.

Over his 35-year career, Trestman has served in a variety of positions at the major college and pro levels, including head coach of the Montreal Alouettes (2008-2012), Chicago Bears (2013-2014) and Toronto Argonauts (2017-2018). He won the CFL’s Grey Cup three times, twice leading the Alouettes (2009 and 2010) and once guiding the Argonauts (2017) to championships.

Trestman is the only head coach in Alouettes history to win back-to-back Grey Cups, and he was also named CFL Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2017. In his rookie year, as head coach of the Bears, the team finished second in the league in scoring, fifth in offensive yardage, and broke team records in total yards, passing yards, passing touchdowns and first downs made. Trestman also has the distinction of having coached an MVP in both the NFL (Rich Gannon, 2002) and CFL (Anthony Calvillo, 2008 & 2009).

Trestman began his coaching career in 1981 as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Miami. In 1983 he was elevated to the Hurricanes’ quarterbacks coach as Miami won its first national championship. His college coaching resume also includes two seasons as offensive coordinator at NC State (2005-2006).

In 1985, Trestman joined the NFL’s coaching ranks as the Minnesota Vikings running backs coach, a position he held for two seasons. In 1987 he became the quarterbacks coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and later held that position with the Vikings (1990-1991) and Detroit Lions (1997). He served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Cleveland Browns (1988-1989), San Francisco 49ers (1995-1996), Arizona Cardinals (1998-2000) and Oakland Raiders (2001-2003). Trestman’s NFL coaching career also includes a season as assistant head coach for the Miami Dolphins (2004) and two seasons as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens (2015-2016).

A Minnesota native, Trestman earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Minnesota and a J.D. from the University of Miami Law School and has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1983.

About The XFL
The XFL will reimagine football for the 21st century when it kicks off the weekend of February 8-9, 2020. The new league is committed to delivering a fan-centric, innovative experience, including fast-paced games and a family-friendly environment, complemented by cross-platform viewing options and real-time fan engagement.

Football is America’s favorite sport boasting over 85 million fans, but the traditional season is just too short. Seeing a tremendous opportunity to fill the void, Vince McMahon, XFL Founder and Chairman announced on January 25, 2018, the launch of a new league, which he is personally funding. McMahon is building the XFL with the same commitment and resolve that he has demonstrated building WWE into a global media and sports entertainment powerhouse.

Delivering authentic, high energy football for the whole family at an affordable price, the XFL will offer fast-paced games with fewer play stoppages and simpler rules. The league will launch with eight teams, 45-man active rosters, and a 10-week regular season schedule, with a postseason consisting of two semifinal playoff games and a championship game. The XFL will also establish a health, wellness and safety program that meets the needs of today’s athletes.

The XFL will embrace the latest on and off-field technology, providing live game coverage, content and real-time engagement across multiple platforms, giving fans greater access than ever before. The XFL is committed to building grassroots relationships with local organizations in its host cities through social responsibility partnerships, and the XFL will enjoy the support of WWE’s many extraordinary resources and promotional capabilities.

The XFL will launch next year in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa Bay and Washington D.C.

For more information, visit XFL.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
SOURCE: Stephanie Rudnick – XFL