Romney said a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics would simply mean not sending diplomats to China. “We’re not gonna punish our athletes who’ve prepared all their lives for this moment,” said Romney, who was president of the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002. “But we’re going to make sure we make it very clear we do not support the Beijing Olympics.” Calls for a boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Games have mounted because of alleged human rights issues against minorities in western China....

Stone was set to serve 40 months in prison after he was convicted last year on federal charges of witness tampering and making false statements to Congress. Trump on Saturday defended his decision to commute Stone’s sentence, which he claimed was the result of an “illegal Witch Hunt.” “Unprecedented, historic corruption: an American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president,” tweeted Romney, who was the lone GOP senator to vote to convict the president during the latter’s impeachment trial....

Forty years ago Turkey’s generals hanged a democratically elected prime minister; three other governments have been ousted since then, most recently in 1998. Now the military is speaking out again and, for the first time in memory, America and the European Union are coming under fire. To anyone mindful of Turkey’s checkered history, this raises serious questions about where the country is heading, and whether it might be wavering in its traditional Western alliance....

The injury will not require surgery but will keep Clark sidelined for the next six to eight weeks. MORE: Anderson’s plane makes emergency landing | Tark’s 10 best players | Hilarious postgame interview “Heart goes out to Wes Clark. It’s moments like that, as a coach, makes you sick,” South Carolina coach Frank Martin said at a postgame press conference. “I know [first-year Missouri coach Kim Anderson], and in my conversations with him, he’s fighting to create a culture and I know Wes is one of the guys that’s bought into what he’s fighting for....

After being away from the spotlight in 2020, MLB’s best (and most popular) are once again taking the field in the 2021 All-Star Game on July 13 in Denver. As is custom with the All-Star Game roster, there are some swings and misses: Mike Trout makes the All-Star Game this year despite playing in just 36 games in the first half and is nursing a calf injury. Trout is expected to return to the field after the All-Star break....

“I’m waiting in a jury room so I feel the need to rule: I’d say Pete should at least be allowed to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot. Also, I’d vote for him,” MLB analyst Jon Heyman wrote on his Twitter. “Yes, he bet on. Yes, he lied about it. Fir [sic] a long time. But he’s a Hall of Fame player.” Heyman’s tweet comes shortly after ESPN reported that Rose had sent a petition to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to remove his name from the league’s ineligible list, allowing him to be considered as a choice for the Hall of Fame....

Manfred was the obvious choice from the moment Bud Selig announced he would retire in January. Thanks in large part to Manfred’s recent work as chief labor negotiator, MLB is expected to generate revenues in excess of $9 billion in 2014, just $1 billion less than what the NFL makes. Baseball long ago was replaced by pro football as America’s sport, but the resurgence of baseball as a business in the past 10 years is remarkable....

MLB DRAFT: Each team’s five worst draft misses of all time 2015-Dansby Swanson, SS, Diamondbacks 2014-Brady Aiken, LHP, Astros (didn’t sign) 2013-Mark Appel, RHP, Astros 2012-Carlos Correa, SS, Astros 2011-Gerrit Cole, RHP, Pirates 2010-Bryce Harper, C, Nationals 2009-Stephen Strasburg, RHP, Nationals MLB DRAFT 2016: Worst No. 1 picks of all time 2008-Tim Beckham, SS, Rays 2007-David Price, LHP, Rays 2006-Luke Hochevar, RHP, Royals 2005-Justin Upton, SS, Diamondbcks 2004-Matt Bush, SS, Padres...

Beginning in 2022, the MLB postseason will now feature: 3 division winners from AL 3 division winners from NL 3 wild card teams from AL 3 wild card teams from NL The new format will do away with the single wild-card game, and instead pit the third-best division winner against the last team in while the best and second-best wild-card winners play each other. These games will all be played in a three-game series’ hosted by the team with the better record....

Another domino seemingly fell when shortstop Carlos Correa agreed to a massive 13-year, $350 million contract with the Giants, the most money for a shortstop in MLB history. Correa’s deal came on the deal of Bogaerts’ 11-year, $280 million deal, and gave Correa a slightly higher AAV. But then the deal collapsed and the Mets jumped in, agreeing to a 12-year, $315 million contract with Correa, who will play third base in New York alongside Francisco Lindor....

We’re a few days into January, and we’ve seen only a handful of trades and a smattering of free-agent signings — Carlos Santana’s $60 million deal is still the largest at the moment — but most of the big names on the market are still shopping for new uniforms. MORE: Ranking the top 101 MLB free agents for 2018 With that in mind, I thought I’d scan through the transactions lists on Baseball-Reference....

Add changing the strike zone to the list of hot debates. MORE: Famous blown calls in postseason | Spector: Manfred wrong about shifts, right about pitch clocks | International expansion favored MLB is considering raising the lower portion of the zone, according to Yahoo! Sports. The lower limit of the current zone, which was put into place in 1996, is the hollow of a batter’s knees. An increase in called low strikes in recent years is seen as one big reason for depressed offensive production, the report said....

It rains in Southern California. No, really, it does. MORE: Posada apologizes for A-Rod comments | Pitcher rankings, saves sleepers for Friday | Hitters to buy, sell Two rare, lengthy delays served as evidence in Los Angeles and San Diego on Thursday as the Padres rolled to a win and Carlos Gonzalez provided the late-inning fireworks for the Rockies, who ended their 11-game losing streak by beating the Dodgers in their soggy confines....

All right, truth time. How many people had the Twins (29-19) only a half-game back in the AL Central, ahead of the Tigers (2.5 games) and in playoff contention after the first two months of the season? We’re guessing not many, barring the loyal fans in the Twin Cities. It’s an exciting time for Minnesota baseball, because the Twins also have two of the top five prospects in outfielder Byron Buxton and third baseman Miguel Sano, so this could be the start of things to come in a new era of great Twins baseball....

All the 22-year-old right-hander did to change perception with Seattle was dominate the Cactus League, where he went 4-0 in seven starts with a 0.67 ERA. He struck out 26 batters in 27 innings and opposing batters hit only .114 against him. Spring training or not, those are outstanding numbers; to do it in Arizona’s climate where the hitters always have an edge is quite impressive. Current MLB lines: Friday’s card...

NFL free agency has been the only sporting event that carried on as normal despite the COVID-19 outbreak, but even that’s running out of steam now that all the major chips have fallen. While NBA and NHL fans have had to deal with their sports being abruptly taken off air, MLB fans did not even have the luxury of witnessing the season get underway, as Opening Day was scheduled for Thursday....

Check The Linemakers on Sporting News’ odds page for current baseball lines from Las Vegas. Toronto Blue Jays -117 (@ Tampa Bay Rays)Matt Andriese vs Drew Hutchison The Jays crashed out of their winning streak a while ago but have looked good despite losing some games. The Rays have gotten their game rolling and are picking up wins at an increasing pace. They also have the upper hand this season vs....

Check The Linemakers on Sporting News’ odds page for current baseball lines from Las Vegas. Oakland Athletics +109 (@ Houston Astros)Lance McCullers Jr. vs Drew Pomeranz We will be brave and pick the Athletics to surprise the Astros in a game between teams at opposite ends of AL standings. Not many would have guessed the Astros to be on top, but they have been in excellent form, winning seven of their last 10 games....

ALCS Game 6 final: Astros 7, Yankees 1 (Series tied 3-3) Here comes Game 7. The Astros’ offense finally got off the deck Friday after a long absence and rode a strong outing from Justin Verlander to tie the ALCS at three games apiece and force a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday night. The Astros ended a long scoring drought with a three-run fifth, highlighted by a two-run single from Jose Altuve, who had been mostly a non-factor in the series since Game 2....