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SPORTS Friday 19 January 2018
Slow market changed Bruce’s outlook before return to Mets

By RONALD BLUM Just 38 of 166 major league
AP Baseball Writer free agents have complet-
NEW YORK (AP) — Jay ed agreements, down from
Bruce was surprised by the 58 of 158 on the same date
free-agent market. last year.
“The way the offseason kind “The people who are work-
of went and the slowness of ing within the organizations
it kind of maybe changed now are a little more num-
my outlook on it a little bit,” bers based, a little more
he said Wednesday at a statistically driven, and I
Citi Field news conference. think they understand that
Bruce returned to the Mets it kind of behooves them to
for a $39 million, three-year wait,” Bruce said.
contract, five months af- “There’s a month ‘till spring
ter New York traded the training starts, and there’s
30-year-old outfielder to really no rush. And I think
Cleveland. that a lot of times they feel
“I think there’s been a sea like they had the leverage
change in the industry,” and they’re going to utilize
Mets general manager that as much as they can. “
Sandy Alderson said. “It’s Bruce hit a career-high 36
at least arithmetic in na- home runs last year, includ-
ture if not mathematical, ing 29 for the Mets, and
so everybody’s information batted .254 with 101 RBIs. New York Mets’ Jay Bruce speaks during a baseball news conference at Citi Field in New York,
is roughly the same, which He reunites with former Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018.
means the assessments of Cleveland pitching coach Associated Press
players are probably more Mickey Callaway, who re- and wife Hannah enjoyed it and you have to be here year contract that has not
uniform today than they placed Terry Collins as Mets living in midtown Manhat- and understand the pas- yet been finalized.
ever have been, because manager after the season. tan with their son Carter, sion of the fans and the While maintaining pa-
they’re predicated not on Bruce expects the Mets un- who turns 2 in April. market,” he said. tience, Alderson chose not
subjective observation.” der Callaway to institute She is pregnant with their Bruce figures to start the to wait for a possible further
Bruce agreed to the deal some of the Indians’ meth- second child. season in right field while drop in Bruce’s price.
last week, and New York ods. “We just had a great expe- Michael Conforto recovers “They said, you know, listen,
finalized the agreement “They were very, very ada- rience the whole time, and from surgery Sept. 6 to re- there could be a reunion
Tuesday after the three- mant about certain things it was never something that pair a tear in the posterior and we definitely want to
time All-Star passed a phys- when it came to prepara- we shied away from,” he capsule in his left shoulder. kind of explore those op-
ical. tion and recovery and just said. “There have been no set- tions in the offseason,”
His deal was the third-high- taking care of yourself in “It’s exciting to be back.” backs, but his schedule is Bruce explained. “They
est among free agents this general,” he said. Acquired from Cincin- such that I don’t expect wasted no time in get-
offseason behind first base- “And I expect Mickey to nati in August 2016, Bruce him back until the first of ting down to business and
man Carlos Santana’s $60 bring a lot of news ideas slumped at first with the May,” Alderson said. showing that they want me
million contract with Cleve- and things that make sense Mets but doesn’t think the Bruce also could see time back and they wanted to
land and close Wade Da- for the organization.” unfulfilling start was tied to at first base along with pros- be here and wanted me to
vis’ $52 million agreement Coming from Beaumont, acclimating. pect Dominic Smith, Wilmer be a part of what I can kind
with Colorado, both also Texas — with a population “It’s a big stage and I think Flores and Adrian Gonza- of consider some unfinished
for three-year terms. of just over 100,000 — Bruce that you have to embrace lez, who agreed to a one- business as a Met.”q

Sobhy, 15-year-old Stefanoni in

Grand Central squash tourney

By MELISSA MURPHY from Darien, Connecti- when she was injured and
AP Sports Writer cut, she is “excited to be sidelined from the Profes-
NEW YORK (AP) — Aman- playing in the main draw sional Squash Association
da Sobhy and 15-year-old against one of the top tour.
wild card Marina Stefanoni women in the world” in her The 24-year-old native of
headline the American first match Saturday night Sea Cliff, New York, faces
squash field at the Tour- against No. 5 Nouran Go- a qualifier on Sunday night.
nament of Champions in har of Egypt. Top-ranked Nour El Sherbi-
Grand Central Terminal. “She is the one to watch ni of Egypt and defending
The weeklong internation- for in the years to come,” champion Camille Serme
al pro event begins Thurs- Sobhy said of Stefanoni. of France return. Cesar Salazar, left, of Mexico, returns a shot from Marwan
day in Vanderbilt Hall. The matches are played Runner-up Sobhy will be El Shorbagy, of Egypt, during the JP Morgan Tournament of
It’s Sobhy’s first squash tour- beneath the chandeliers joined by No. 13 Olivia Champions professional squash competition at Grand Central
nament since the highest- of Grand Central in a glass Blatchford of Wilton, Con- Terminal in New York, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018.
ranked American tore her squash court with seating necticut. Associated Press
Achilles tendon in March. for 500 and a standing- On the men’s side, No. 1 The players represent 25 “It’s been a few years now
Stefanoni is the youngest room area for commuters. Gregory Gaultier of France nations and six continents. we have struggled to be
player in tournament his- Sobhy, who went 62-0 in and defending champion Gaultier is among those part of the Olympic fam-
tory. her college career at Har- Karim Abdel Gawad of pushing to allow squash in ily,” he said. “Hopefully, it
A high school freshman vard, was No. 6 in the world Egypt lead the field. the 2024 Paris Olympics. pays off in 2024.”q