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SPORTS Wednesday 6 March 2019

Hershisher says

baseball not in

need of change

By The Associated Press Hershiser holds the major
Orel Hershiser isn’t worried league record for consec-
about the way analyt- utive scoreless innings of 59
ics are affecting pitching innings, set in 1988, the last
in baseball, saying play- year the Dodgers won the
ers and managers will World Series.
adapt and that the essen- Hershiser was the MVP of This combo of images shows, from left, amateur basketball league director Merl Code, Former
tials of the game haven’t that series, and the Nation- Adidas executive James Gatto, and business manager Christian Dawkins.
changed. al League Cy Young win- Associated Press
The former Los Angeles ner that year.
Dodger great told Podcas- Hershiser spoke on the pod- Three get prison in college
tOne Sports Now co-hosts cast from Arizona, where
Tim Dahlberg and Jim Litke he is serving as a spring basketball recruiting scandal
that managers will figure training instructor. He is also
out how to play situational a Dodger broadcaster. By LARRY NEUMEISTER others to trade hundreds son would go to Louisville.
baseball with their pitch- Dahlberg and Litke dis- Associated Press of thousands of dollars in The judge recalled that the
ing staffs soon enough and cuss baseball in the spring, NEW YORK (AP) — A former bribes to influence star ath- father cried as he testified
that wholesale changes as well as the recent NFL Adidas executive and two letes’ choice of schools, that he had wrecked his
aren’t needed in the way combine and the woes of others who paid families shoe sponsors, agents and son’s life. The younger Bow-
the game is played. LeBron James and the Los to persuade top college even tailors. en now plays basketball in
“I don’t think the essence of Angeles Lakers. basketball recruits to play NCAA President Mark Em- Australia.
the game has changed,” They also talk about the for schools sponsored by mert has said an indepen- Kaplan also cited the play-
Hershiser said. “But definite- fine points of espresso, the shoe brand were sen- dent enforcement body to ing at trial of a recorded
ly the strategy of the game and why March is caffeine tenced to prison Tuesday adjudicate major infrac- conversation between
has changed.” awareness month.q
by a judge who said he tions cases could be in Code and Dawkins in
wanted to send a “great place by August. which the men discussed
MLB reaches deal big warning light to the Kaplan said leniency for the giving Louisville basketball
defendants, who faced as coaches “plausible deni-
basketball world.”
with Mexican League U.S. District Judge Lewis much as three years in pris- ability” about the scheme.
A. Kaplan said he had to on under federal sentenc-
“I’ll never forget that,” Ka-
on signing players balance the need for a ing guidelines, could only plan said. “They were mak-
go so far. “These defen-
ing sure Rick Pitino’s tracks
stern message with the re-
alization that others who dants all knew what they were being covered.”
did similar crimes were were doing was wrong,” Pitino was fired by Louisville
NEW YORK (AP) — Mexican League baseball players will not prosecuted in a wide- he said. The judge added after arrests were made in
be eligible to sign with major league teams as free agents spread college basketball that he wanted to send “a 2017 in the corruption in-
after they are 25 years old and have six or more years of recruiting scandal that has great big warning light to vestigation. He has denied
professional league experience. tainted two dozen schools. the basketball world.” wrongdoing.
Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Play- Former Adidas executive “I deeply regret my ac- In a release, Deputy U.S. At-
ers Association and the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol an- James Gatto, business tions,” Gatto said in a shaky torney Robert Khuzami said
nounced a two-year transfer agreement Tuesday. manager Christian Dawkins voice. Dawkins referenced the sentences “only begin
Mexican teams may release players to sign with MLB and Merl Code, a former “social dysfunction” in col- to reflect the magnitude of
clubs before they have foreign professional status under Adidas consultant, were lege basketball and said the harm these defendants
the deal. convicted in October of his actions were “clouded” caused through a scheme
For a player under contract to a Mexican League club conspiracy to commit wire by a “system that takes ad- that not only defrauded
who is leaving to sign with a major league team, the ma- fraud for funneling illegal vantage of kids.” multiple public universi-
jor league club will owe the former team 15 percent of payments to families of re- “I realize now more than ties but upended the lives
the guaranteed value of a major league contract or 35 cruits to Louisville, Kansas ever none of this was worth of young student-athletes
percent of the signing bonus of a minor league contract. and North Carolina State. it,” Dawkins said. and corrupted a game
MLB previously reached agreements with leagues in Ja- Gatto, 48, of Wilsonville, Code, a former Amateur cherished by so many.”
pan, South Korea, Taiwan and Cuba.q
Oregon, got nine months Athletic Union coach, said Kaplan recommended all
in prison; Dawkins, 26, of he also regretted his ac- three men serve their sen-
Atlanta, and Code, 45, of tions but added: “Some tences at minimum security
Greer, South Carolina, got things really got to be prisons.
six months each. Code and changed about college Tony Bland, a former South-
Dawkins were each also or- basketball.” ern California assistant
dered to pay $28,261 in res- Kaplan said all the harm coach; ex-Arizona assistant
titution to the University of could not be measured in coach Emanuel “Book”
Louisville. dollars, citing testimony by Richardson; and former
The judge said each can the father of Brian Bowen Oklahoma State assistant
remain free until a federal Jr., once one of America’s coach Lamont Evans are
appeals court decides bright high school basket- awaiting sentencing. For-
whether to uphold their ball stars who seemed des- mer Auburn assistant coach
convictions. tined for the NBA until it was Chuck Person, who plead-
Prosecutors say coaches revealed that his father was ed not guilty, is scheduled
teamed with Gatto and to be paid $100,000 so his for trial in June.q