MLB wants apology from ex-ESPN host Cowherd
Major League Baseball says ESPN Radio host Colin Cowherd owes Dominican players an apology for remarks he made during his show.
In a statement Friday, baseball says it “condemns the remarks,” calling them “inappropriate, offensive and completely inconsistent with the values of our game.”
Cowherd had said Thursday that he didn’t believe baseball was complex, saying a third of the sport was from the Dominican Republic, which had “not been known, in my lifetime, as having, you know, world-class academic abilities.”
There were 83 Dominican players on opening-day rosters, representing about 10 percent of all players in the majors.
One of them, Blue Jays star Jose Bautista, asked Cowherd on Twitter on Thursday for an explanation.
MLB followed Friday, saying: “Mr. Cowherd owes our players of Dominican origin, and Dominican people generally, an apology.”
In a statement about Cowherd’s remarks, players’ union head Tony Clark said “to make an ignorant point by denigrating the intelligence of our Dominican members was not `clunky’ it was offensive.”
ESPN recently said Cowherd is leaving the network amid reports he’s going to Fox Sports 1.
Philadelphia 5, N.Y. Mets 3: Jeff Francoeur hit a two-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning and the Philadelphia Phillies, who had rallied in the ninth, beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3.
Francoeur drove his game-winner deep into the bleachers in left field off Cubs reliever Rafael Soriano, who came in for James Russell (0-2), who gave up a leadoff single to Cesar Hernandez in the 10th.
L.A. Dodgers 7, N.Y. Mets 2: Justin Turner homered and drove in three runs against his former club, emergency starter Ian Thomas hurled five effective innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets 7-2.
Chicago White Sox 6, Cleveland 0: Jose Quintana pitched a seven-hitter for his first career shutout and complete game and Jose Abreu homered off Corey Kluber, sending the Chicago White Sox to a 6-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
Quintana (5-9) got his first win since July 1, and the left-hander did it with customary control and efficiency. He did not allow a walk and hasn’t yielded a base on balls in five of his past six starts. The Indians only got two runners as far as second base against Quintana, who was making his 107th major league start. He struck out eight and improved to 5-4 in night starts.
Cardinals, Marlins trade: The NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals bolstered their bullpen Friday, getting Steve Cishek in a trade with the Miami Marlins.
The Cardinals sent Double-A pitcher Kyle Barraclough to Miami for the sidearming Cishek.
The deal came a week before baseball’s trading deadline.
Cishek is 2-6 with three saves and a 4.50 ERA this year. The 29-year-old righty had trouble earlier this season and was sent down to Double-A, but had an 0.71 ERA in 13 games since returning to Miami in mid-June.
White Sox deal with Angels: The Los Angeles Angels acquired infielder Conor Gillaspie from the Chicago White Sox for cash. Gillaspie was designated for assignment by the White Sox last Sunday. He hit .237 with 15 RBIs in 58 games, making 50 starts at third base for last-place Chicago.