Darvish set to start Opening Day for Rangers for first time

SURPRISE, ARIZONA – Texas Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish will make the first Opening Day start of his six-year major league career when his team hosts the American League champion Cleveland Indians on April 3.

“We feel we have one of the best pitchers in baseball leading off our rotation. He is poised to have a great year,” Texas skipper Jeff Banister was quoted as saying on MLB.com on Saturday. “We feel he is in a great place.”

Darvish, who missed the entire 2015 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery that March, returned to action last May and went 7-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts.

“Two years ago, I couldn’t even tell whether I’d be able to return to the mound after Tommy John surgery, and I’m grateful for the team for handing me this massive role,” a post on his Twitter feed said.

“I’ll pitch to the best of my ability not just on Opening Day but through the end of the season!”

The 30-year-old, who opened the season five times in Japan for the Pacific League’s Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, was named Texas’ Opening Day pitcher in 2014 but was scratched due to neck tightness.

He would become the fifth Japanese pitcher to start on Opening Day in the majors, following Hideo Nomo, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Hiroki Kuroda and Masahiro Tanaka.

Tanaka will start for the New York Yankees for the third straight year next month, and it’ll be the first time two Japanese pitchers will handle that duty in the same season.

Darvish threw 90 pitches in a practice game against Triple-A Oklahoma on Friday, allowing three runs, one earned, on four hits and a walk in six innings in a tune-up as he enters the final year of his six-year deal with the Rangers.

“I’m already feeling I can go out there. I’ll do my best to hold the opposition down in the regular season too,” he said after the game. “I was able to get them to hit my two-seam fastballs even when I was behind in counts.”

Darvish worked in four preseason games, giving up four earned runs in 12⅔ innings.

“Not only with the arm, but the body, how he rebounded from his rehab and the number of starts and innings last year. Secondly, what kind of shape he was in,” Banister said, according to MLB.com.

“He’s in great shape. Mentally . . . the laser-sharp focus. He wants to be the best pitcher on the planet. He has rebounded from every bullpen session and every outing. He is healthy and ready to go.”

In addition to Darvish and Tanaka, Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda has been slated to start his team’s second game of the year, against the San Diego Padres on April 4 at Dodger Stadium. Maeda also pitched his first major league game against the Padres, when he homered and was the winning pitcher in San Diego.

Tigers’ Martinez out with foot injury

LAKELAND, FLORIDA – Detroit Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez is expected to miss the beginning of the season with a right foot injury.

Martinez sprained his foot last weekend, and manager Brad Ausmus told reporters Friday he is expected to be out three to four weeks. The injury is an early blow to a Detroit team that was hoping for improved health this season after keeping its roster largely intact.

Martinez hit .307 with 22 home runs and 68 RBIs in 120 games last season, when the Tigers finished second in the AL Central, eight games behind Cleveland.

Hawks’ Matsuzaka, two relievers toss combined no-hitter against Carp

FUKUOKA – With his chances to pitch for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks this season not looking good, Daisuke Matsuzaka threw seven innings on Saturday in a 1-0 no-hitter over the Hiroshima Carp.

Matsuzaka struck out six and walked two, while two more former big leaguers, Ryota Igarashi and Dennis Sarfate, completed NPB’s first preseason no-hitter since 1988.

Told before the game that he would not be in the starting rotation to start the season, the 36-year-old right-hander expressed satisfaction with his results.

“I’m glad I was able to do well in my last game of the preseason,” said Matsuzaka, who relied heavily on the breaking balls and moving fastballs he polished over the winter. “My only thought is to keep pitching and building for what comes next.”

The biggest trouble for Matsuzaka this spring has been his control. In his three previous outings, he issued 10 walks and hit two batters in 11-1/3 innings, while striking out seven. He entered Saturday’s game at Yafuoku Dome with a 4.76 preseason ERA.

Second-year Carp starter Akitaka Okada worked six scoreless innings, but designated hitter Alfredo Despaigne opened the seventh with a single and pinch runner Shuhei Fukuda scored on a pinch-hit single by Keizo Kawashima.

“We squared up some balls, but they also played solid defense,” Carp manager Koichi Ogata said. “Still, nobody wants to be no hit.”

Hiroshima had two chances for hits against Matsuzaka, but the Carp were foiled by some good glove work by third baseman Kenji Akashi and left fielder Akira Nakamura.

“This was only possible because the fielders caught all those balls for me,” Matsuzaka said.

Matsuzaka has pitched in only one Pacific League game since returning to Japan in 2015 from the big leagues on a three-year deal. Since a promising start in the spring of 2015, the former Seibu Lions and Boston Red Sox star has been beset by injuries.

“I told him you never know when the call is going to come so prepare yourself well,” manager Kimiyasu Kudo said.

NPB’s last spring no-hitter was also thrown by a Hawks pitcher. On March 23, 1988, Nankai Hawks journeyman lefty Yoshiaki Nishikawa no-hit the Yakult Swallows. Nishikawa went 25-39 in his career, but had just eight wins left in him after his preseason gem.

MLB Network’s Martinez, Waltz, inform and entertain during WBC telecasts

Good show put on by Major League Baseball and the organizers of the 2017 World Baseball Classic Asia rounds held in Seoul and Tokyo earlier this month.

With the new Gocheok Sky Dome in South Korea, MLB was able to hold its first sanctioned event in that country, and the two rounds held in Tokyo Dome were well received and — at least in night games where Samurai Japan played — well attended with crowds of more than 40,000.

Among those enjoying their work and time in Japan were broadcasters Buck Martinez and Rich Waltz, who called play-by-play on all 12 games at Tokyo Dome for the MLB Network.

Martinez, a former manager of the Toronto Blue Jays and the skipper of Team USA in the first World Baseball Classic in 2006, calls Jays games during the regular season. Waltz is the play-by-play announcer for the Miami Marlins.

They worked together at the last edition of the Classic in 2013, calling games in Fukuoka and Tokyo. Both get a kick out of coming to Japan where Watlz developed a huge liking of edamame, the Japanese beans that go so well with beer on a warm summer evening.

True professionals, Martinez and Waltz, despite their infrequent opportunities to work together and do international games, displayed an amazing ability to spew out facts about the players from Japan, China, Cuba, the Netherlands, Israel and Australia. Their pronunciation of the Japanese and Chinese names was not bad either. Clearly, they did their homework and preparation with extreme diligence.

During their eight days of calling the games, the pair covered all the idiosyncrasies of Japan, Japanese baseball and the Tokyo Dome, from the cheering sections, to the whistle-blowing attendants warning fans about foul balls, to the “exciting” seats, to the beer vendors.

“How about a Kirin?” Waltz asked Martinez when their camera crew picked up a shot of a beer girl working the stands and squirting a brewski through the nozzle attached to the tank on her back.

Martinez did a rundown of the six Yomiuri Giants legendary players whose retired numbers hang on posts in the outfield stands at Tokyo Dome, and he especially enjoyed the __play of Giants (normally) light-hitting catcher Seiji Kobayashi, who hit well for Samurai Japan in the six games he played, batting .444 with a home run and six RBIs.

Waltz kept reminding Martinez that Kobayashi hit only .204 with but four home runs in 129 games during the regular season in 2016.

“Watch what you say about .200-hitting catchers,” said Martinez, himself a lifetime .225 hitter over a span of 17 major league seasons behind the plate with the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays.

Waltz works the microphones at the Marlins games with Eduardo Perez who played in 2001 with the Hanshin Tigers in the Central League. Martinez can also be heard in Japan doing commentary of the World Series in October on the international feed carried by NHK.

The announcers left for their return to the U.S. following the World Baseball Classic action in Tokyo, ready to hit spring training and then prepare for their seasons in Miami and Toronto.

“We’ll be back,” they said. Hoping for a chance to call another Classic in Japan in 2021 and chow down on some more edamame.

“We are so fortunate to be able to do what we do,” said Martinez.

Diamond Dust left over from the World Baseball Classic: As nice as it is, the new Gocheok Sky Dome in South Korea has a surface much faster — and harder — than most ballparks. Stadiums such as Tokyo Dome have artificial turf that contains granulated rubber. The Gocheok field has granulated ceramic.

Israel manager Jerry Weinstein said, “It played so fast, it was like we were playing in a parking lot.”

During the first round of __play at Tokyo Dome, there were no home run dimensions on the fences. Then Murray Cook showed up after working in Korea. Cook is Major League Baseball’s man-in-charge of making sure everything about the game is measured correctly and the playing conditions meet MLB standards.

He made sure the distances in feet and meters were posted—at least down the left — and right-field lines and in straightaway center. Everyone could see it was 100 meters (328 feet) to left and right and 122 meters (400 feet) to the backscreen. But, just as when MLB teams came to open the regular season at Tokyo Dome in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012, as soon as the event was over, down came the numbers off the fences.

Why don’t the Tokyo Dome people just leave them up there?

I promise to find out and will let you know the answer in an upcoming column.

***

Friends & Fans: The 2017 edition of my Japan Pro Baseball Fan Handbook & Media Guide is now available. It is the complete English-language guide to Japanese baseball and includes league and team directories, team rosters, league schedules, profiles of the foreign players, statistics from past seasons, directions to the stadiums, Japanese baseball trivia and much more, packed into 128 pages.

The quickest way to get your copy in Japan is to order directly from me. Please send ¥1,500 in cash, or Japanese postal check “kawase,” along with your name and address, to: Wayne Graczyk, 1-12-18 Kichijoji Higashi-cho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo-to 180-0002. Fans outside Japan can order through the JapanBall.com website. Yoroshiku.

***

Contact Wayne Graczyk at: Wayne@JapanBall.com

Puerto Rico’s blond ambition at WBC unites nation

| AP

SAN JUAN – Pharmacies and beauty stores across Puerto Rico are running out of hair dye as a growing number of men go blond in support of the island’s baseball players who bleached their hair as a bonding ritual ahead of the World Baseball Classic.

What began as a joke among team members playing in California has spread across the island in a trend that spiked Tuesday just hours after Puerto Rico beat the Netherlands in 11 innings to reach the championship game undefeated in the tournament, which is held every four years. Puerto Rico will __play Wednesday in the final against the United States.

“Ever since they began winning, this has not stopped,” said Myrna Rios, a manager at a Sally Beauty Supply store in the capital of San Juan. “We have run out of the product in most of our stores.”

Copper blond, platinum blond, golden blond — all shades of blond (even burnt orange) are turning heads in a U.S. territory where the majority of men have thick, dark hair and are now getting teased about looking like Ken dolls. Those who are bald have opted to dye their beards or goatees in a nod to Puerto Rico coach Carlos Delgado.

“We have been able to unite our country with our blond hair,” said star Carlos Correa, who hit a two-run homer and scored the winning run against the Netherlands. “That’s what we want as players, to unite our country, our people, and give them the best.”

Men ranging from news anchors to university students to professionals have embraced a trend that has sparked the rallying cry of “Team Rubio!” or “Team Blond” in Spanish.

Among them is civil engineer Christian Rodriguez, who dyed his beard Saturday after visiting four different pharmacies to find the product he needed. At first, he didn’t dye his hair as well because he thought it would be too much at church on Sunday. But he noticed six male churchgoers had dyed their hair blond and decided to take the plunge Tuesday, calling a hair stylist friend to help him go platinum.

Rodriguez complained of an intense burning sensation during the two-hour process and sent pictures to his wife, who responded with the emoticon of a monkey with its eyes covered.

“Anything for my island!” he said as he lifted his arm to cheer the team.

Rodriguez then sent a picture of his dyed hair to his mechanic, who responded with a selfie taken underneath a car of him smiling with a bleached beard.

Puerto Rico’s undefeated run to the championship has boosted the spirit of an island mired in a decade-long recession that faces a rocky recovery amid looming austerity measures for its government. Even young students have been sporting blond do’s, prompting public schools to suspend them until the island’s education secretary stepped in and said in a letter made public Tuesday that they should be allowed to dye their hair during the tournament.

“We wanted to do this to unite the team, and then the people of Puerto Rico, they started dying their hair, too,” pitcher Edwin Diaz said. “I saw that there were some students that were suspended from school. I think they shouldn’t be doing that because it just means that we have united our nation. We didn’t think it was going to be this huge, but we were able to accomplish that.”

Puerto Ricans are not the only ones going blond. A large number of Dominicans who lost bets to their Puerto Rican friends after their team was defeated are declaring their solidarity to their fellow Caribbean natives by seeking hair dye as well, Rios said.

“A whole bunch of them have come through,” she said with a laugh. “This has united the island.”

U.S. trounces Puerto Rico to capture first WBC crown

The U.S. celebrates its 8-0 triumph over Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic final on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. | AP

LOS ANGELES – It will take time to determine whether the United States’ first World Baseball Classic title was the spark needed to ignite greater interest in the tournament in the nation from which baseball originated, and, most importantly, from its biggest stars.

Those answers will have to wait for another day. This night was about a long-awaited celebration.

Marcus Stroman took a no-hitter into the seventh, Ian Kinsler got an unrelenting lineup started with a two-run homer in the third, and the United States captured its first World Baseball Classic title with an 8-0 rout of Puerto Rico in the final at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night.

“For the most part, up until this point, the other countries were probably into this event a little bit more than the United States,” said U.S. manager Jim Leyland. “But in talking to our players, I know they’re going to spread the word. I’ve had some players already tell me this is the greatest experience of their life.

“So hopefully, we can get guys to play. But we had the right players. We had players that wanted to be here and that’s the kind of players you want.”

The confetti had barely stopped falling when Stroman declared he would be back in four years to help defend the crown. The performance of the Toronto Blue Jays pitcher was a huge reason the U.S. won it in the first place.

“I love pitching in these moments,” Stroman said. “I love the atmosphere. I feel like the bigger the game, the more I’m able to get up, the more effective I am. I truly try to pride myself on being a big-game pitcher.”

Stroman, born to an American father and Puerto Rican mother, didn’t allow a hit until Angel Pagan doubled to lead off the bottom of the seventh. He struck out three and walked a batter in six-plus innings in the win.

He made the most of a second chance against Puerto Rico, after allowing four runs in a loss in the teams’ previous meeting March 18. Stroman only needed 73 pitches on Wednesday to hold down the Puerto Ricans, who came into the game having scored a WBC-best 55 runs.

“Stroman was unbelievable,” Leyland said. “I probably should’ve taken him out and not started that inning with him, when the guy hit that long double. He had a long (sixth) inning. I kind of second-guessed myself a little bit. But I wanted to give him a chance because his ball was sinking so good, there were so many ground ball outs, and I felt like he deserved a chance.”

Kinsler drove in the first two runs of the game with a two-run homer in the third. Christian Yelich and Andrew McCutchen hit RBI singles in the fifth to make the score 4-0.

The Americans blew the game open in the seventh with a two-run single by Brandon Crawford and an RBI hit by Giancarlo Stanton. McCutchen tacked on the last run with an RBI single in the eighth.

“I think we just all had a common goal when we came here,” Yelich said. “There was only one thing on our minds, and that was to win this thing, to do whatever we could to win. I think that helped us come together.”

It took four editions of the Classic before the Americans finally got their turn on the podium. The team’s best finish in previous years was a trip to the semifinals in 2009, when it fell against Japan.

“Anything you do, we’re competitors and we want to win,” said infielder Eric Hosmer. “So it’s special to know that we’re the first team for USA to win the World Baseball Classic. We know this is going to go on for a long, long time. So to know that we’re the first team for USA to bring home the gold is a special feeling.”

Puerto Rico had also been chasing a first title and before the game was probably a good bet to claim it. The Puerto Ricans were 7-0 and looked like the best team in the WBC. They’d also beaten the Americans earlier in the tournament and in four of the last five meetings between the teams.

“We played against a great team,” said Puerto Rican manager Edwin Rodriguez. We played the USA team and they’re loaded with All-Star players. They came out today to play. They outpitched us, they outscored us, they outhit us.”

Starter Seth Lugo was the losing pitcher.

Stroman was selected as the WBC MVP. Kodai Senga was Japan’s lone representative on the All-Tournament team. Tokyo Yakult Swallows slugger Wladimir Balentien, who represented the Netherlands, also made the team, as a unanimous selection.

The final was played in front of an announced crowd of 51,565. While the stadium wasn’t filled to capacity, it was full of energy.

Puerto Rican supporters livened up the atmosphere, cheering wildly, repeatedly chanting “Puer-to Ri-co,” and adding a pulsating rhythm to the game as they banged drums, tambourines, woodblocks, and at least one slow cooker.

The American fans, for so long derided for the ambivalence many in the nation have shown toward this event, countered with equally spirited and loud cries of “U-S-A, U-S-A.”

“Other teams played with passion, and their fan bases were behind them,” Yelich said. “The American crowd showed out this year, too.”

The Puerto Ricans may have celebrated a bit prematurely, allegedly having plans for a parade already in the works before the game.

“Yeah, we knew about it,” Yelich said. “It’s not like we really needed any extra motivation for a night like tonight. We wanted that just as bad, even if they had T-shirts and a parade planned for tomorrow, allegedly.”

Giants pitcher Takagi seeking comeback after gambling ban

Relief pitcher Kyosuke Takagi has told the Yomiuri Giants that he wants to return to baseball following his one-year suspension for gambling, the Central League club announced Wednesday.

The Giants could file an application for his reinstatement with Nippon Professional Baseball’s commissioner as early as Thursday. If the team’s request is accepted, the 27-year-old lefty would be signed to a developmental contract. According to NPB, no player suspended for betting on baseball has ever resumed his pro career.

Takagi was found to have bet on a handful of baseball games for a brief period of time at the urging of a Giants teammate and received a one-year suspension last March 22. He was immediately fired by the Giants.

Kiyoshi Morita, the team’s general affairs director, interviewed Takagi last March after his punishment was handed down and told him that his grasping the scope of his actions and adopting a serious stance could allow him to return.

“He deeply regrets his acts and wants to get a second chance,” Morita said.

According to Morita, Takagi said, “Those who have taught me and my former colleagues have supported me as I struggled to come back. I continued practicing to repay them. The only way to repay my debt of gratitude is to make a comeback.”

The pitcher has played in 139 career games with six wins, no losses, one save and a 3.03 earned run average.

Samurai Japan manager Kokubo reflects on ‘treasure’ of leading team

Japan skipper Hiroki Kokubo said Thursday the experience of having managed the national side for 3½ years will be his life’s treasure, even though the team failed to reclaim the World Baseball Classic title.

“Of course it’s disappointing that we could not achieve our biggest goal of becoming No. 1 in the world at the WBC,” Kokubo said shortly after returning to Japan following his team’s 2-1 semifinal loss to the United States in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

But he emphasized the blame should not be placed on his men, saying, “That I was surrounded by and blessed with wonderful players and was able to fight together with them is a treasure in my life.”

Kokubo, who announced his intention to step down as skipper of Samurai Japan after its defeat to the United States, said he shook hands with each player after arriving at Narita airport, where about 200 people gathered to welcome them home.

“My feelings of the times I spent with them started welling up. I thanked them anew for their sense of mission to wear the Samurai Japan uniform and lead the world of baseball,” Kokubo told a news conference at a Tokyo hotel.

He said the job of national team manager “was not easy,” noting the biggest difficulty involved was having to make the decision to use some players more than others, even though they were all among the best at their respective ballclubs.

Japan won the first two WBC championships in 2006 and 2009, but has lost in the semifinals of the last two. In its first trip to the final, the United States won the title with an 8-0 victory over Puerto Rico on Wednesday.

Kokubo said he will take on commentating jobs for the time being and think about his future, while expressing hope the Japan players will start the new Nippon Professional Baseball season from March 31 with a new mindset.

“The players did a good job and I am to be fully blamed for losing. These players who worked so hard will be starting the season soon so I hope people will look forward to seeing them __play after having grown through the WBC,” Kokubo said.

“I hope the players will not be affected too much by the WBC but enter the season with refreshed minds.”

Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, who hit .320 with a team-high eight RBIs in seven games as Japan’s cleanup hitter, recalled playing for the 45-year-old manager with affection.

“He was a great manager, someone who made me want to do my best for him,” the Yokohama BayStars slugger said. “It was an honor to be able to fight as a representative of Japan.”

Leyland motivated Team USA on way to WBC victory

Team USA manager Jim Leyland holds up the championship trophy after Wednesday's 8-0 win over Puerto Rico in the final of the 2017 World Baseball Classic in Los Angeles. | USA TODAY / VIA REUTERS

LOS ANGELES – This, Jim Leyland insisted, was it.

After leading the United States to its first World Baseball Classic title on Wednesday night, Leyland said the triumph would be the final act of his long career.

“I’m not wearing any baseball uniform anymore, I can tell you that,” Leyland said on Wednesday night. “I guess people have heard it before. But, you know, I’m done. When I say that, if I went to the rookie league somewhere and hit some ground balls or fungos or something . . . but there is a good chance this is the last time I’ll every wear a baseball uniform.

“Who really cares, to be honest with you,” he added, drawing laughter.

Leyland tried to make this World Baseball Classic about his players, and the memories he wanted them to take from it. There was, however, no separating this group, made up of players from all across the major leagues, and the man who in short order brought them together as a team capable of winning the WBC title that had for so long been out of the Americans’ reach.

“He was awesome,” said Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich. “He cares about each and every one of us. It meant a lot to him for us to go out there and __play the game the right way. Go out there and represent our country well, that’s what he told us after the game.”

Leyland, 72, has been in the game since signing with the Detroit Tigers in 1962. He later managed in the club’s farm system. He took his first MLB coaching job in 1982 with the Chicago White Sox, and his first managerial job in 1986 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Leyland managed the Pirates (1986-1996), Florida Marlins (1997-1998), Colorado Rockies (1999) and the Tigers (2006-2013) during his career. He won the World Series with the Marlins in 1997, and took the Tigers to the Fall Classic in 2006 and 2012. He was National League Manager of the Year in 1990 and 1992 and won the award in the American League in 2006.

He came out of retirement to lead Team USA at the WBC and became the first man to guide the squad to the championship, which he dedicated to members of the military, appearing to become choked up as he spoke during the postgame news conference.

“I’ve been retired for three years and I’m going to stay retired,” he said. “That I can promise you.

“But, I think I said this on the podium, I think this is the best part about it, I had the honor of managing our country. The coaches have the honor of coaching for our country and the players have the honor of playing for our country. But this is really about the men and women’s that serve our country. That’s who this is for.”

Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman, the WBC MVP, said it was a joy to __play for Leyland.

“I have so much respect for Mr. Leyland,” Stroman said. “He’s the man. I’ve never played for such a down-to-earth, humble, confident manager. He is able to rile us up in the perfect ways. I feel like every word he says is calculated and perfect and he knows how to get us going.”

When Leyland was jokingly reminded of a similar pledge to retire after managing the Rockies, he held firm to his promise.

“I understand that, but, like I said, I’ll be 73 years old. That’s enough, let somebody else do it.”

If this was indeed his final act, he went out on top.

“I enjoyed playing for him,” Yelich said. “I think all the guys did. There is a reason why he’s such a great manager. It’s a shame that he’s leaving the game of baseball per se. At least we got to send him out on top, if this is his last one, and we’re happy for him.”

Though, not everyone was ready to give up on him just yet.

“We’ll bring him back in four years,” Stroman chimed in.

Baseball lifer Dallas Green, who piloted Phillies to 1980 title, dies at 82

Former New York Mets manager Dallas Green, seen in a February 1996 file photo at the club's spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida, died on Wednesday in Philadelphia. | AP

PHILADELPHIA – As a big league pitcher, Dallas Green was pretty mediocre.

“I was a 20-game winner,” he would joke, “it just took me five years to do it.”

Instead, it was in another role where the imposing, 196-cm Green really made noise.

“When you think of big, with that deep voice, that booming voice, he could hold a team meeting, boy, he could scare you right out of your seat,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona recalled.

Green, the tough-talking, no-nonsense skipper who in 1980 guided the Philadelphia Phillies to their first World Series championship, died Wednesday. He was 82.

The Phillies said Green died at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia. He had been in poor health for a while.

Green spent 62 years in baseball as a player, manager, general manager, team president and other roles.

“He was a big man with a big heart and a bigger-than-life personality,” Phillies chairman David Montgomery said in a statement.

As a pitcher, Green went just 20-22 in the 1960s. His most notable distinction on the mound might have been giving up the only grand slam launched by all-time hits leader Pete Rose.

In 1980, with Rose playing first base on a team that included future Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton, Green guided the Phillies to a very elusive crown, ending a drought that stretched back nearly a century.

“Baseball world lost a giant,” Rose tweeted. “Dallas was a hell of a guy and a real leader.”

He sure got his team’s attention midway through that championship season. After a loss in Pittsburgh left the Phils around .500, his clubhouse tirade was so loud that writers outside the locker room at Three Rivers Stadium swore they could hear every word.

Green later managed the New York Yankees — where bombastic owner George Steinbrenner liked the idea of someone being able to stand up to him — and the Mets.

“Dallas was pure and simple a ‘true baseball man,’ ” the Mets said in a statement.

Green also was the GM and president of the Chicago Cubs and made a shrewd trade to get a young infielder from the Phillies, future great Ryne Sandberg. The deal helped turn a long-dormant franchise into a club that came within one win of reaching the 1984 World Series.

“Dallas Green had an eye for talent. Our fans can credit him for acquiring and drafting several of the most accomplished players to wear a Cubs uniform, including Hall of Famers Andre Dawson, Greg Maddux and Ryne Sandberg, as well as All-Stars like Shawon Dunston, Mark Grace and Rick Sutcliffe,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement.

In 2006, the Phillies inducted Green into their Hall of Fame. He spent 46 years overall in the Phillies system and was an adviser to their last four managers, always known for his commanding presence and shock of white hair.

Green was known for his rugged reputation and embraced it. Yet he was left in tears in 2011 when his 9-year-old granddaughter, Christina-Taylor Green, was shot and killed outside a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona, as she went to see U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Six people were killed in the mass shooting as Giffords met with constituents.

“I’m supposed to be a tough sucker, but I’m not very tough when it comes to this,” Green said at the time.

Francona witnessed the effect her death had on Green.

“I know when that happened with his granddaughter, the shooting, I know that that just tore him apart,” he said. “I saw him at a golf tournament for that, about a year and a half ago, and you could tell that just ate him alive.”

“I don’t know if he was sick, but maybe he’s happier now,” Francona said.

Born and raised in Delaware, George Dallas Green is survived by his wife of 59 years, Sylvia; four children; and five grandchildren.

Giants seek banned pitcher Takagi’s reinstatement

The Yomiuri Giants on Thursday filed an application for the reinstatement of their former reliever Kyosuke Takagi with Nippon Professional Baseball following his one-year suspension for gambling.

Takagi, 27, was found to have bet on a handful of baseball games at the urging of a Giants teammate and received a one-year suspension on March 22, 2016, and was immediately released by the team.

Takagi told the Central League club Wednesday of his wish to return to baseball. An NPB review panel will examine the case while the final authority remains with its commissioner Katsuhiko Kumazaki.

“The decision will be made based on the report (from the panel),” NPB secretary general Atsushi Ihara said. “I believe it won’t take that much time.”

No player suspended for betting on baseball has ever resumed his pro career.

The lefty would be signed to a developmental contract if Yomiuri’s request is accepted.

Takagi was fined ￥200,000 about $1,800) by the Tokyo Summary Court last August.

Japan falls to U.S. in World Baseball Classic semifinal

Japan players react to their 2-1 defeat to the United States in the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. | AP

LOS ANGELES – For six games, Samurai Japan came up with the big hit or made the important play. But in the crucial stanza of their seventh game at this World Baseball Classic, on a rainy Tuesday night in Southern California, the game-changing moment slipped out of the their grasp.

Brandon Crawford scored the tiebreaking run when Nobuhiro Matsuda couldn’t cleanly field Adam Jones’ grounder to third in the top of the eighth, and the United States held on for a 2-1 win over Japan at Dodger Stadium to advance to its first World Baseball Classic final.

The United States will face Puerto Rico for the title on Wednesday.

“We weren’t able to reach our goal, so I’m just left with a strong feeling of disappointment,” Japan’s Seiichi Uchikawa said.

Japan’s four years of effort and preparation, after being stopped at this point in 2013, were undone by a razor-thin margin in a little over 3 hours.

A rare error by second baseman Ryosuke Kikuchi in the fourth helped lead to Team USA’s first run, and Matsuda’s bobble allowed the second to score late in a tightly contested game.

“The players did their best,” Japan manager Hiroki Kokubo said. “It’s a do-or-die semifinal. Although we lost, the players did their best, including in the games at Tokyo Dome.”

Uchikawa hit a pinch-hit single to start the bottom of the eighth with Japan down by a run. Norichika Aoki later drew a two-out walk to bring cleanup man Yoshitomo Tsutsugo to the plate. Tsutsugo, who hit three home runs during the Classic, got his bat on a 113-kph change-up that Pat Neshek left a little high in the zone. Tsutsugo didn’t get enough of it, and a long fly ball landed comfortably in Andrew McCutchen’s glove in right field.

U.S. closer Luke Gregerson retired the side in order on seven pitches in the ninth to seal the victory.

“One run,” U.S. manager Jim Leyland said of the difference between the two teams. “We happened to be going on contact on the ball,” he added, referring to Jones’ at-bat in the eighth. “We went on contact and Crawford scored. They booted the ball a little bit. They made one mistake at a critical time. We were able to take advantage of that.”

Sam Dyson pitched a scoreless inning to earn the win in relief, with Gregerson recording a save. Kodai Senga was charged with the loss.

Japan starter Tomoyuki Sugano was impressive, allowing just one unearned run on three hits in six innings.

“I understood it was an important game,” Sugano said. “I was particularly cautious about how I should pitch early, while trying not to be affected by the atmosphere, which I hadn’t felt before.”

Sugano struck out six and walked one.

“He’s a big league pitcher,” Leyland said. “He’s good. I was really impressed with him.”

Rain fell on Los Angeles for nearly the entire day, and a heavy mist was present throughout the game.

“This was probably the first time I’ve played outside in a tournament game like that,” said catcher Seiji Kobayashi. “Rain was falling from the beginning. But I think the pitchers were still able to make good pitches and we did everything we could to win.”

The slick conditions made it tougher than usual on the fielders, and likely had a role in the misplays by Kikuchi and Matsuda, who have won every Golden Glove at their positions since 2013.

U.S. pitcher Tanner Roark said things on the mound “started to get a little hairy,” but the Americans were able to avoid a fatal mistake.

“Who would’ve thought we’d be playing a game like this in Los Angeles,” McCutchen said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this type of weather in the years I’ve come here. So that’s what makes this game amazing. But I __play for Pittsburgh, so I’m pretty used to the weather there. It’s not always great.”

Kikuchi’s error put Christian Yelich aboard, and the U.S. outfielder scored on McCutchen’s single to left to put America ahead 1-0 in the fourth.

Kikuchi made up for his miscue with a tying solo home run in the sixth.

A single by Crawford and a double by Ian Kinsler put runners on second and third with one out in the eighth. Jones grounded a ball to third, but Matsuda couldn’t get a good grip on it and was left with no __play at home as Crawford scored.

The win gives the U.S. a chance to finally play for the WBC title after years of having the commitment of the nation’s best players and MLB team executives questioned.

“It means a heck of a lot,” said McCutchen, the 2013 National League MVP and a five-time All-Star. “We’ve got a great group of guys on this team who have dedicated this time to be able to try and win some ball games. Sacrifices had to be made, and there are no egos when that door opens. That’s what’s good about this team.”

Japan’s commitment has never been in doubt, but in the end, the team fell two wins short of its goal. Instead of getting ready for another game, the Japanese players quietly filed out of Dodger Stadium, where they won the title in 2009, preparing to go their separate ways ahead of the regular season.

“We had a lot of amazing games,” Uchikawa said, reflecting on the tournament as a whole.

Kang having trouble with visa

Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Kang Jung-ho is having difficulty obtaining a work visa to enter the United States following his latest arrest for drunk driving in South Korea. | AP

MIAMI – Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Kang Jung-ho, the first player to jump directly from South Korea into Major League Baseball, will not be with the team on opening day, the club confirmed Friday.

Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said Kang’s visa application was ongoing and he would not be in the team’s starting lineup for the April 3 season opener.

A Korean Broadcasting System report said Kang’s visa application had been denied and it was uncertain when or even if Kang would be able to join the Pirates this season.

“A Korean news outlet has reported on a purported development in Jung Ho Kang’s effort to secure permission to travel to the United States for purposes of continuing his career as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates and added speculation regarding a driving incident in a ‘third country,’ ” Pirates president Frank Coonelly said.

“The facts, as we know them, are that Kang still has not been granted permission to travel to the United States under a work visa,” Coonelly said.

“We continue to work with Kang and his representatives to present materials and information to the appropriate parties in the United States government that we believe establish that Kang should be permitted to travel to the United States under a work visa.”

Kang was convicted in South Korea earlier this month after leaving the scene of a drunk driving accident on Dec. 2 in Seoul. He received a suspended eight-month jail sentence and recently filed an appeal, reportedly to be heard next month.

It was Kang’s third drunk driving arrest in South Korea, having previously been charged in August 2009 and May 2011.

Kang was third in 2015 National League Rookie of the Year voting after making his landmark jump across the Pacific Ocean to the major leagues. He batted .287 with 15 home runs and 58 runs batted in over 126 games in his first season with Pittsburgh.

Last year, Kang hit 21 homers with 62 RBIs and a .255 batting average. This year would be his third season under a four-deal contract worth $11 million.

Meanwhile, slugger Giancarlo Stanton says the World Baseball Classic gave him a feeling he’d never experienced but wants to feel again in about six months.

The tournament, which concluded with Team USA winning the gold medal on Wednesday, is the closest Stanton’s come to playing postseason baseball.

“For me it was not watching a playoff game on TV, for once,” Stanton said.

Miami hasn’t played postseason baseball since 2003, well before Stanton’s big league debut in 2010.

Over the past three weeks, he learned what it’s like to __play in games where every pitch could determine a team’s fate.

“It’s more of a do-or-die feeling every game,” Stanton said. “Having that competition level with the do-or-die was pretty cool.”

Stanton and teammate Christian Yelich, both key members of Team USA, couldn’t stop smiling while talking about the experience of becoming the first American team to win the WBC.

Now comes the calm before the grind.

It will be a while before Yelich and Stanton __play in front of the more than 50,000 fans that attended their final game victory over Puerto Rico. The combined crowds for the final seven games of their Grapefruit League schedule may not match that total.

“Obviously a Grapefruit League game atmosphere is not going to be like the championship game in the World Baseball Classic,” Yelich said. “You still have to make sure that you are preparing yourself and getting ready with your team for Opening Day, which is coming up fast. You won’t want to let that sneak up on you.”

For Yelich, the days leading up to the Marlins’ April 3 opener at Washington are about maintaining the level that allowed him to hit .310 and earn WBC all-tournament recognition.

“My process was kind of accelerated a little bit because now is the time you start ramping up innings and playing back-to-back days and going long distances,” Yelich said. “Obviously, playing nine innings for a few days in a row in that kind of atmosphere you kind of accelerated that.”

Stanton didn’t enjoy the same success as Yelich, averaging .227 with 10 strikeouts, but the slugger did have a signature moment when he bashed a two-run homer off the Western Metal Supply building in San Diego to give the USA a lead over the Dominican Republic it wouldn’t relinquish.

To Stanton, the blast showed he’s closing in on regular-season form.

“I think I’m perfect for a week left. I can get three to four at-bats per game coming up and I think I’ll be fine,” Stanton said. “I DHed a lot, so being out in the outfield will be good for me.”

Neither Stanton nor Yelich was in the Marlins lineup on Friday night when they played a Washington split squad, but their names were already written onto Saturday’s lineup card posted in the clubhouse.

The players arrived back in South Florida from Los Angeles late Thursday night, Yelich flying with his gold medal in the zipped pocket of his sweat pants.

“It was cool man,” Yelich said. “People in the airports and stuff come up to you and they’re like, ‘Thank you for representing the United States in a positive way.’ You just didn’t realize how many people cared about it.”

De'Aaron Fox vs. Lonzo Ball and four other NBA draft-worthy Sweet 16 matchups

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The Sweet 16 is set to kick off in the NCAA tournament, and there is no shortage of intriguing NBA prospects who will be on display in the coming days. In fact, here on a pretty big national stage, we will get to see several of those prospects do something we won’t see for a while yet: face off against each other, head-to-head.

In fact, we have five Sweet 16 matchups ahead that should be of special interest to NBA scouts this week:

This is the marquee matchup of the Sweet 16, a pair of Top 10—maybe even Top 5—point guards going head-to-head in a rematch of a thrilling December game. In that one, Fox was able to use his quickness to break down Ball defensively, and the Kentucky defense was able to force Ball into some awkward looks, exposing some of his weakness as a shot creator for himself. Still, both players came out well. Fox had 20 points and nine assists, while Ball had 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds (also six turnovers), ultimately leading the Bruins to the win.

Ball has improved as the season has gone on, and finished with a sterling 42.0 percent mark from the 3-point line despite a notably awkward shot. He’s also scored 33 points on 17 shot attempts in UCLA’s two tourney wins. He has driven a UCLA offense that has been incredibly efficient. The Bruins scored 97 points in its opener and had 79 to follow up, shooting 56.2 percent as a team in those two games with just nine total turnovers.

Ball’s defense has gotten better, too, and he’ll need to show that against Fox, who struggles as a perimeter shooter (23.4 percent) but gets to the rim with ease—a skill that was on display in the first matchup, when Fox was able to attack the Bruin defense even when Ball went under screens. But scouts want to see more than scoring from Fox, who has to prove himself as a playmaker. In five postseason games, going back to the start of the SEC tournament, Fox is averaging 19.8 points on 54.8 percent shooting, but he has had only 12 total assists in those games.

Jackson surged to the finish line of the season for Kansas, even as he got into legal hot water for a misdemeanor arrest last month. That’s something NBA teams will have to sort out as they look at drafting him.

On the floor, he showed a variety of scoring weapons, on the perimeter and in the post, when he put in 23 points on 9-for-16 shooting in the Jayhawks’ convincing win over Michigan State. Edwards is a big (6-8) and physical defender, who improved on that end of the floor over the course of the year but is still prone to lapses.

Jackson is a great athlete and has significant ability on the defensive end, and he will be tasked with containing Edwards, who enters the Sweet 16 on a hot streak, scoring 21 points in each of Purdue’s first two tournament games—including eight straight points to start the second half of Purdue’s tight opened against Vermont. Edwards got off to a slow start this year, but came on to average 12.7 points and 5.0 rebounds, shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from the 3-point line. He’s smart with the ball (3.2 assists per game) and if Jackson can bottle him up, Purdue’s offense will suffer.

Wilson had been drawing interest from NBA types because of his potential as a defensive specialist, a guy who can protect the paint and grab rebounds. But by the end of the year, especially during Michigan’s magical, season-ending spurt that saw them win the Big Ten tournament and now nestle into the Sweet 16, Wilson was much more aggressive and productive on the offensive end. He averaged 11.0 points this year, but has averaged 16.2 since the start of the postseason.

With his combination of size and length, and his potential to knock down 3-point shots, Wilson is looking more like a late first-rounder now. Some of the complaints about his game—especially his passiveness on the offensive end—have been answered.

Bell is, in some ways, a reflection of Wilson, except that he has not had the late-season surged to move his stock out of the second round. He’s super-athletic and has a knack for blocking shots, averaging 2.1 per game, and his future in the NBA is likely as a defensive big man. He has been big on the boards lately, with 12 in each of his two tournament games, and four straight double-digit rebounding efforts. Scouts will be looking for him to continue that kind of effort against Wilson.

This was not a great year for Nigel Hayes, who considered the draft last season but pulled out. His numbers dropped for most of the year, but he had a strong finish, including 19 points and eight rebounds against Villanova. In his last eight games, he has scored 15.1 points with 9.0 rebounds, shooting 47.0 percent from the field.

One problem for Hayes is that he is a tweener, with good size and enough playmaking skill to handle small forward, but not enough height or bulk to play power forward, as he has been doing for the Badgers. Still he plays the 3 sometimes, and he no doubt will have to check Robinson—a bit of a combo forward himself—frequently. It’s a battle of second-rounders, and both players could stand to make an impression.

Robinson probably would have entered the NBA Draft last season if not for a stress fracture in his foot, an injury that teams will want to check out this time around. He returned to Florida with a remade attitude, more of a take-charge leader. Now, Robinson needs to secure his spot in the draft. He is an established defensive player, 6-8 and lanky, who has raised his 3-point percentage from 25.6 percent as a freshman, to 34.0 percent last year to 39.4 percent this year. That shooting prowess has helped boost his stock, and the fact that he’s been really good—38 total points on 15-for-25 shooting—in Florida’s tournament run so far will only help.

It was a disappointing year for Martin, even as Butler thrived this season. He put forth an uneven effort and was moved to the bench last month. He averaged 16.0 points, but his shooting (42.8 percent overall, 35.2 percent from the 3-point line) sank from last year, not a good sign for a guy whose projected role is as a big 3-and-D wing with some potential for adding offensive versatility. It’s not certain whether he will enter the draft this year or have another crack at college with his senior season.

A big performance against Jackson, the ACC player of the year, might help restore Martin somewhat in the eyes of NBA scouts. Jackson has been the offensive backbone for North Carolina all year, and going back to December 28, he has scored at least 16 points in 21 of 23 games. He has a much-improved shot, working both off the dribble and as a catch-and-shoot player, and made 38.7 percent of his 3s (he made 29.2 percent last year), taking 7.0 per game.

Martin was sharp in Butler’s win over Middle Tennessee, with 19 points, six rebounds and four assists, even as he was battling back spasms. That is the kind of versatility that scouts thought they’d see regularly from Martin this year. Jackson, too, comes into the Sweet 16 on a high note, with 36 points in two tournament games, including eight made 3s on 14 attempts.

2017 NBA Draft: Duke freshman Jayson Tatum turning pro

Jayson Tatum (Getty Images)

Now that Duke's season is over, freshman Jayson Tatum has announced he will enter this year's NBA draft.

Jay Smooth. NBA next. #TheBrotherhood forever. 🔵😈🏀 pic.twitter.com/kFl5BCQcRL

— Duke Basketball (@DukeMBB) March 22, 2017

“I’m excited to take the next step in pursuing my lifelong dream of playing basketball at the highest possible level,” Tatum said in a news release. “With that said, I’ve loved my time at Duke. The Brotherhood is a real thing and I’ll always be part of the bond between former, current and future Duke players. I want to thank my teammates, coaches, family and friends for the unwavering support I’ve received as I pursue my dream.”

Tatum's decision comes after Duke's shocking second-round NCAA Tournament loss to seventh-seeded South Carolina last weekend.

The St. Louis native missed the first eight games of his freshman season after spraining his ankle in October. He returned full time to the court at the beginning of December and averaged 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Blue Devils this season.

“I have absolutely loved coaching Jayson Tatum,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “His skill set and work ethic will make him a star in the NBA. Whichever team selects him will be getting a humble, thoughtful and talented young man whom we are proud to call a member of the Duke Basketball brotherhood.”

Tatum is the seventh player in the past six years to leave Duke as a freshman for the NBA.

Robin Lopez, Serge Ibaka each suspended one game after fist fight

Robin Lopez and Serge Ibaka (Getty Images)

Bulls center Robin Lopez and Raptors forward Serge Ibaka have been suspended one game apiece without pay for throwing punches at each other during Tuesday night's game, the NBA announced Wednesday.

Raptors assistant coach Jamaal Magloire was also slapped with a $15,000 fine for not attempting to break up the fight. Instead, he shoved Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic in the melee. Both Magloire and Mirotic were issued offsetting technicals for their roles.

Lopez will serve is suspension Wednesday night when the Pistons come to Chicago, while Ibaka will sit out when the Raptors travel to play the Heat on Thursday.

The fight erupted with less than four minutes left in the third quarter, when Ibaka elbowed Lopez in his lower back trying to get a rebound.

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  Raptors' Serge Ibaka, Bulls' Robin Lopez ejected after exchanging punches

  Brandon Schlager

Lopez smacked the ball out of Ibaka's hands and shoved him, and the two exchanged punches. Both players were ejected from the game.

Toronto went on to win 122-120 in overtime.

12 biggest NBA early-season surprises and disappointments

Putting too much stock in the opening 20 games of an NBA season can be a dangerous game. Teams such as the Celtics are still figuring out how to work their offseason acquisitions into their offense and defense, while the likes of the Timberwolves are still learning the nuances of their new coach and system. A lot could change between now and 2017, let alone when the playoffs begin in April.

Nevertheless, we can start to see some trends emerge within the first month of the season. This time last year, for example, the Rockets were 7-11 with James Harden and Dwight Howard struggling to find a rhythm. It didn’t get much better for them as the season progressed, and they’ve now gone their separate ways. On the other end of the spectrum, the Warriors cruised to a 19-0 start and looked like a team that could legitimately challenge the Bulls for the best regular season record in NBA history. They went on to win 73 games and fell one victory short of back-to-back titles.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the most surprising and disappointing developments thus far to get a feel for what is going on in the NBA.

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Before the season began, the pairing of James Harden and Mike D’Antoni looked unstoppable on paper. The only thing holding people back from totally buying in was Harden’s performance last season, when the Rockets fell apart months after he finished second in MVP voting. As a result, few bought the idea of him being a pass-first guard — even though he had all the skills to succeed — in a system that demanded a Steve Nash-like presence.

Through 17 games, those concerns look foolish. Harden is averaging 28.9 points, 12.2 rebounds and 7.4 rebounds per game, which are totals only Oscar Robertson can match. Plus, the Rockets have been competitive. They’ve struggled defensively, but they’re one of just four teams averaging over 110 points per 100 possession. It’s helped them keep their heads above water during a road-heavy portion of their schedule, which bodes well for how the rest of their season should play out.

Based on the way D’Antoni has made the game easier for him, there’s no reason to believe Harden can’t sustain these numbers either. It’s almost as if he was destined to play for D’Antoni.

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The good news for the Mavericks is Harrison Barnes has been much better than anyone ever expected. Rick Carlisle has basically turned him into a Dirk Nowitzki clone, and he’s thrived as a small-ball power forward who can knock down midrange jumpers and take bigger defenders off the dribble.

Outside of that, there isn’t much for Mavericks fans to get excited about. Wesley Matthews has been better lately, but he still doesn’t look like the player he was before tearing his Achilles. J.J. Barea, Deron Williams and Nowitzki have each been dealing with injuries and the Mavericks have fallen to last place in the Western Conference with a 3-13 record.

To make matters worse, it doesn’t look like they’ll be turning their attention to next season anytime soon by tanking the rest of the way.

The Mavericks have only missed the playoffs once in the last 16 years. Unless something big changes between now and April, it’ll be twice once this season is over with.

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We should know by now to never underestimate LeBron James. Even though he has a tendency to coast during the regular season, he is casually putting up 23.6 points, 9.7 assists, 8.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game in his 14th season in the NBA. Once again, those numbers basically put him in a class of his own.

The scary part: James has never looked this comfortable with his teammates. The roster has been built entirely around his strengths to the point where he can basically pick and choose how the Cavaliers will score against teams on every possession.

Switch a smaller player onto James in the pick-and-roll? Go to the post. Crash down on his drives? Kick it out to one of three (and sometimes four) 3-point shooters standing on the perimeter. Shade too much towards the perimeter out of fear of giving up open 3s? Find a cutter down the lane.

The culmination is a 13-3 record for the Cavaliers, the third-best point differential in the league and a record-breaking number of 3-pointers. While James isn’t the shooter or athlete he once was, other parts of his game are only getting better.

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We know the Jazz have the potential to be one of the best teams in the NBA, but injuries to key players continue to hold them back from reaching their full potential — George Hill, Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors have each missed a number of games this season.

Even though they’re much better than their 11-8 record shows, this isn’t the first time injuries have prevented them from establishing themselves as a Western Conference powerhouse.

It’s a similar situation for the Pelicans. Anthony Davis has been healthy for the first time in what feels like forever, but the rest of the roster has been decimated by injury. Jrue Holiday has returned and they’re 6-4 in their last 10 games, so they’re starting to be more competitive. It’s just going to take a lot for them to dig themselves out of their 0-8 start to the season.

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Let’s start with the basics. Even on a minutes restriction, Joel Embiid is averaging 18.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. According to Basketball Reference, the only players to post those numbers in their rookie season in the last 70 years are David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Alonzo Mourning, Ralph Sampson and Patrick Ewing.

Pretty good company for Embiid to be in, right?

Now consider this: Embiid’s averages of 28.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per 36 minutes can only be matched by Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob McAdoo and Hakeem Olajuwon. Ever. Each of them did it in their late 20s or early 30s except for McAdoo, who accomplished the feat at just 22 years old.

Some of those numbers screams small sample size, but Embiid passes the eye test. He’s comfortably nailing 3-pointers, scoring with his back to the basket, running the floor in a way few 7-footers can and protecting the rim with the best of them. Once the 76ers no longer have to worry about how many minutes he’s playing, he’ll only distance himself further from the rest of this rookie class.

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It’s not all doom and gloom in Washington. John Wall has been fantastic, with averages of 23.1 points, 8.9 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. Bradley Beal has also played well with 20.9 points per game on 38.2 percent shooting from the perimeter. Together, they’ve helped the Wizards’ starting five of Wall, Beal, Otto Porter Jr., Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat outscore teams by 7.8 points per 100 possessions.

The problem is the bench has been a disaster. They currently rank second-to-last in the NBA in bench scoring and they’re being outscored by a whopping 18.9 points per 100 possessions. It’s why Gortat pulled no punches when he said the Wizards have "one of the worst benches in the league." It doesn’t look like it’ll get much better without a trade, either, because Andrew Nicholson, Jason Smith, Ian Mahinmi and Trey Burke were their big offseason acquisitions.

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Tim Duncan is no longer around and Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili aren’t the dynamic scorers they once were, but it doesn’t matter. With a 14-4 record, the Spurs have the third-best record in the NBA and they’re the only team still undefeated on the road (10-0).

Why do we ever doubt them?

It helps that they have Kawhi Leonard, who continues to get better on both ends of the floor. Following a season in which he averaged a career-high 21.2 points per game, he’s bumped his totals to 24.8 points per game this season. His overall shooting numbers have dipped slightly from 50.6 percent to 46.2 percent, but he’s still rubbing shoulders with LeBron James, James Harden, Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis in Player Efficiency Rating. He also has more 30 point games this season alone (five) than he had in his career entering this season (four).

So, if it wasn’t already clear, Leonard is an absolute stud, and the Spurs always find a way to win.

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It’s hard to look at the situation Karl-Anthony Towns is in with the Timberwolves and not wish Kristaps Porzingis had something similar. Following a promising rookie season with averages of 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, Porzingis is averaging 20.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks as a sophomore. And yet, with Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony on the roster, he often feels like the third option.

Getting the opportunity to compete in the playoffs wouldn’t be a terrible outcome for Porzingis this season, but the ceiling for this Knicks team isn’t very high with the Cavaliers, Raptors and Celtics leading the way in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks are in the awkward position of being too good to tank but not good enough to grow into a title contender, which isn’t the best situation for Porzingis to grow into the star he has the potential to be.

Or maybe it is? We’ll soon find out. Either way, it would be nice to see him surrounded by younger talent rather than a group of players who might not have a future in New York.

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It’s too early to call this experiment a success, but the Bulls have surpassed just about everyone’s expectations. They’re 10-6 on the season, which is good enough for the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. They’re also one of three teams to have a top 10 defense and offense, which is usually a recipe for long-term success.

Furthermore, Jimmy Butler has emerged as the alpha on a team full of alphas with averages of 25.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, and the likes of Taj Gibson and Robin Lopez are doing just enough to help him on both ends of the floor. As long as they continue to beat teams on the offensive glass and give Butler the green light to do whatever he wants on offense, they’ll find ways to make up for their lack of floor spacing.

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We have no idea how good Aaron Gordon could be, but we at least know what he has the potential to become.

As a freak athlete who can put the ball on the floor, finish around the rim, defend a number of positions and knock down the occasional jump shot, he’s best suited as a power forward in today’s NBA. However, due to the acquisitions the Magic made in the offseason, he’s gone from logging 40 percent of his minutes at small forward to 95 percent, according to Basketball-Reference.

It’s no coincidence Gordon’s shooting numbers have dropped dramatically with him logging more minutes at small forward. Far less of his shots are coming from within three feet of the basket — 26.7 percent compared to 45.6 percent in his first two seasons — and he’s seen a significant jump in attempts from around the 3-point line, where he’s making less than 30 percent of his looks.

Seeing as Gordon is the best prospect on the Magic, it’s a shame he’s not being used in a way that sets him up for long-term success. Hopefully that’ll change soon.

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Out with Kobe Bryant and Byron Scott, in with the fun.

Now that the Lakers can focus on their future, they look like a team that’s building something meaningful. Julius Randle looks like Draymond Green 2.0 — on offense, at least — while D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. are finally getting the opportunities they need to find their footing in the NBA.

Brandon Ingram is also showing signs of promise as a do-it-all forward on both ends of the floor. Sprinkle in some good defense from Nick Young and volume scoring from Lou Williams, and the Lakers are actually competitive again.

If they don’t make the playoffs this season, the future is bright for the Lakers. At the very least, we couldn’t have said that confidently at this point of last season.

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The Trail Blazers signed Evan Turner to a $70 million contract in the hope he could become the missing piece off their bench. To this point of the season, he has failed to do that.

His numbers are down from 10.5 points and 4.4 assists per game last season to 8.8 points and 2.6 assists per game this season, and he’s only shooting 40.2 percent from the floor and 29.4 percent from the 3-point line.

Most concerning of all: Turner is -174 on the season, the worst plus-minus in the entire NBA.

That’s not to say Turner can’t turn it around eventually. He’s a proven playmaker who can help C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard be even better by giving them more opportunities to play off ball. (In Lillard’s case, he’s one of the league’s more efficient spot-up scorers in the league. He’s also dynamite coming off of screens). For the Blazers to be a threat in the Western Conference, though, he’ll need to find his groove sooner rather than later.

Kevin Durant injury update: Warriors reportedly optimistic for return before playoffs

Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant (Getty Images)

Could Kevin Durant get back on the court before regular season ends?

The Warriors are optimistic their star forward will be healthy enough to return from his knee injury prior to the playoffs, ESPN reported Wednesday.

Durant suffered an MCL sprain and bone bruise in his left knee on Feb. 28 and was scheduled to be re-evaluated after four weeks, though he's been making progress with his rehabilitation. He even took a few shots before the team's win over the Mavericks in Dallas on Tuesday.

Durant looked pretty comfortable shooting jumpers before the Mavericks game. didn't see him doing anything more explosive than this, though. pic.twitter.com/E51raIkkeY

— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) March 21, 2017

While the Warriors will be cautious with Durant, there's hope he could play again before Golden State closes the regular season against the Lakers on April 12.

The Warriors experienced a bit of a slump when Durant was sidelined, but snapped a three-game losing streak by posting five consecutive wins. The team is now 7-4 in Durant's absence and still holds the top spot in the Western Conference.

76ers' Joel Embiid to undergo knee surgery

Joel Embiid (Getty Images)

76ers big man Joel Embiid will undergo surgery to repair a previously identified meniscus tear in his left knee, the team announced Wednesday. 

Embiid, who missed his first two NBA seasons due to foot injuries, will miss the rest of this season but is expected to be fully healed for the 2017-18 season when he and No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons (foot) are expected to finally take the court together. 

In a tweet, the 76ers announced Embiid would have the procedure "in the coming days." More details will be shared upon its completion, the team said.

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"Our primary objective and focus remains to protect his long-term health and ability to perform on the basketball court," Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said earlier this month. "As our medical team and performance staff continue their diligence in the evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of Joel's injury, we will provide any pertinent updates when available." 

Embiid, 22, averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in 31 games played this season. He'll have wait until next season to "Trust the Process" once again.

NBA suspends Serge Ibaka, Robin Lopez one game for throwing punches

The NBA announced it will suspend Robin Lopez and Serge Ibaka one game each for throwing punches at one another during the Raptors' 122-120 overtime victory over the Bulls on Tuesday night.

Lopez and Ibaka throwing punches pic.twitter.com/CMe51Fe8Bq

— Stephen Noh (@StephNoh) March 22, 2017

Rarely have NBA fights resulted to actual thrown punches rather than shoving, and that there's been no publicly known history between Lopez and Ibaka makes this fight all the more bizarre.

Robin Lopez and Serge Ibaka got into it 😳🥊 (via @NBAOfficial) pic.twitter.com/cEu5WA34F1

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) March 22, 2017

“That thing happened where you just start pushing each other," Ibaka told reporters after the game, "like always what happens when there’s contact, and then he throws a punch. You know, like a man, I had to defend myself. I’m not just going to be out there and watch a man like him punch me and just walk away. I had to defend myself. So that’s what happened.”

Losing Ibaka and Lopez for even just one game is crucial at this point in the season as the Raptors fight for better playoff seeding and the Bulls attempt to make it into the playoffs at all.