Page 32 - bon-dia-aruba-20210204

A32 sports
Diahuebs 4 Februari 2021

AP source: Twins reach 1-year, $13M deal with DH Nelson Cruz

in 53 games during the pan- forts to donate a fire engine proper treatment.
demic-shortened schedule. and an ambulance and help
build a police station in his Minnesota dropped from
He has led the team in hom- hometown of Las Matas De second in the majors in runs
ers in each of his two years Santa Cruz. in 2019 to 19th in 2020, with
with the Twins while ranking several position players in
second and fourth, respec- No player in the major and out of the lineup because
tively, in the AL in OPS. The leagues has more home runs of injuries. Cruz was about
six-time All-Star won Silver over the last seven seasons the only constant, despite
Slugger awards in 2019 and than Cruz (260), who also being at least 10 years older
2020, when the Twins won has the third-most RBIs than most of the regulars.
the AL Central both seasons. (663) during that span, ac-
cording to Sportradar data. The Twins have added short-
Just as valuable to the club stop Andrelton Simmons in
has been Cruz's leadership, Cruz served a 50-game sus- free agency, which will shift
with his laid-back demeanor pension in 2013, his last of Jorge Polanco to second base
and hard-working attitude eight seasons with the Texas and put Luis Arraez in the
and an ability to mentor play- Rangers, for violating the role as the primary backup
(AP) — The Minnesota late Tuesday and confirmed ers like first baseman Miguel major league drug agreement position player.
Twins are bringing back Wednesday to The Associ- Sanó, a fellow native of the in relation to the sport’s in-
designated hitter Nel- ated Press on condition of Dominican Republic. Cruz vestigation of the Biogenesis The Twins also signed relief
son Cruz on a one-year, anonymity because the deal played through a ruptured of America anti-aging clinic. pitcher Hansel Robles and
$13 million contract, ac- was pending completion of a tendon in his wrist in 2019. At the time, he said he erred starting pitcher J.A. Happ,
cording to a person with physical exam. He won the Marvin Miller in judgment in the wake of a with another move or two
knowledge of the negotia- Man of the Year award in gastrointestinal infection that still likely to shore up the
tions. Cruz turned 40 last season 2020 on a vote by his major wasn’t accurately diagnosed staff about two weeks before
and batted .303 with 16 home league peers, earning respect at first and caused him to spring training is scheduled
The agreement was reached runs, 33 RBIs and a .992 OPS around the game for his ef- lose 40 pounds before getting to begin.

Madrid's Hazard out with thigh injury in latest setback

(AP) — Real Madrid mid- the Belgian was injured league games before that.
fielder Eden Hazard is during training on Wednes-
facing another spell on day — a day after being di- Hazard has been marred by
the sidelines, this time agnosed with muscle fatigue injuries since joining Madrid
with a thigh problem that — and was expected to miss from Chelsea last season and
could keep him out for a four weeks. That would rule also missed action after test-
month. him out of the Champions ing positive for COVID-19
League meeting against Ata- recently.
Madrid said Wednesday that lanta on Feb. 24 when Eu-
Hazard had injured his left rope's top club competition The 30-year-old Hazard has
thigh and that his “recov- returns with the round of 16. made 13 appearances for
ery will continue to be as- Madrid this season, scoring
sessed.” Spanish media said Madrid has four Spanish three goals.

Rights groups call for boycott of Beijing 2022 Winter Games

(AP) — A coalition of 180 golians, residents of Hong the demands and say it's only in northwestern China has dition to forced labor as part
rights groups on Wednesday Kong and others. a sporting body that does not received most of the atten- of an assimilation campaign,
called for a boycott of next get involved with politics. tion. Last week, U.S. Secre- according to former residents
year’s Beijing Winter Olym- The group has issued an open tary of State Antony Blinken and detainees, as well as ex-
pics tied to reported human letter to governments calling The groups said because of reiterated on his first day in perts and leaked government
rights abuses against ethnic for a boycott of the Olym- the IOC's inaction “it now office that he believed geno- documents.
minorities in China. pics “to ensure they are not falls on governments to take cide was being committed
used to embolden the Chi- a stand and demonstrate that against Xinjiang’s ethnic mi- China at first denied the ex-
The games are to open in one nese government’s appalling they have the political will norities. istence of the internment
year, on Feb. 4, 2022, and are rights abuses and crackdowns to push back against China’s areas. It later acknowledged
set to go forward despite the on dissent.” reprehensible human rights China has brushed off the them, but denied any abuses
pandemic. abuses." Pro-Tibet activists criticisms as interference in and says the steps it has taken
Rights groups have previous- held up their flags Wednes- its internal affairs and politi- are necessary to combat ter-
The coalition is composed of ly asked the IOC to move the day outside the International cization of sports. It has re- rorism and a separatist move-
groups representing Tibet- games from China. Olympic Olympic Committee head- acted strongly to charges of ment.
ans, Uighurs, Inner Mon- leaders have largely ignored quarters in Lausanne, Swit- genocide. One Chinese of-
zerland. ficial called it the “lie of the “The IOC refused to listen
century.” in 2008, defending its deci-
Beijing hosted the 2008 Since 2016, China has swept a sion with claims that they
Olympics, which it prom- million or more Uighurs and would prove to be a catalyst
ised would improve human other predominantly Muslim for improved human rights,”
rights in the country. Instead, minorities into prisons and the letter says. “As human
the groups say the prestige of indoctrination camps that the rights experts predicted, this
the Olympics has led to “a state calls training centers, decision proved to be hugely
gross increase on the assault according to estimates by re- misplaced; not only did Chi-
on communities living under searchers and rights groups. na’s human rights record not
its rule.” People have been subjected improve but violations in-
to torture, sterilization and creased substantially without
The situation of the Uighurs political indoctrination in ad- rebuke.